Rise, Rebel, Resist
by leggy freak003
Summary: They came again, they took him from me, and I broke. Now the pieces are scattered, and I'm looking for revenge. They will die, by my hand, if it's the last thing I ever do. With Jasper's help, with everyone's help, the Volturi will fall. Rated for adult language, situations, and themes.
1. Preface

A/n: And here i am with a new story. Unfortunately I've had to put anything not Twilight related on hold because I'm in a total rut. But i've got this, and it's a Jasper/Bella, which I've been playing with for a while. I'm looking forward to seeing the feedback. I'm posting this one and chapter 1 together because, lets face it, a preface means shit.

I would like to add that this takes place post Breaking Dawn, so everything Cannon did happen. It's after the fact that everything goes to Hell. Enjoy.

D/c: I don't own Twilight or any related characters, places, or events. If I did, things would have turned out a hell of a lot different.

Epic thanks to my beta, Snow-white-queen89, for putting up with me and my obsessiveness and pulling her back into the fandom. I love you, Sis, and you'll never know how much your help means to me.

Rise Rebel Resist - Peface

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BPOV

I didn't know what I was or who I wanted, anymore. Everything was a mess. Everything was wrong. Nothing was what it was before. What it should be was no more.

My brain, my mind, was in a constant loop. Repeating, replaying, and rephrasing what I already knew and had drilled into my own head.

So many things had gone wrong. It was my fault. It was all my fault. It was all because of me. If I hadn't come into this family, none of this would have happened. It all started the day I came into this family.

The only thing that I can't say is my fault is Alice and Jasper. Theirs was a divorce decades in the making, according to Rosalie. She had been controlling him since she found him in Philadelphia. Jasper got sick of it and left her.

And now I'm here. Locked away in a room, away from everyone I love and everyone I care about. All because they don't know any other way to deal with a mentally broken vampire. I've given reign to my instincts, and just let the rest loop. I'm going insane in here, locked inside my own mind. It'll be hard. I've been trying to surface for a long time. I've never quite reached the top.

It's all my fault they came.

It's all my fault we were taken.

It's all my fault.

* * *

A/n: Yes, I am very well aware that it's incredibly short. It's a preface, it's not supposed to be long. Tell me what you think. You know you want to.

leggy freak003

Insanity: Noun. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results every time.


	2. Chapter 1

A/n: Chapter 1. Gotta love it. This is where the plot really gets going. Tell me what you think.

D/c: Twilight is not mine. Period.

Thanks to my beta, Snow-white-queen89, for all her help.

Rise, Rebel, Resist - Chapter 1

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JasPOV

I stood sentry on the roof, as I did so often these days. I couldn't leave. These people were my family. They were all I'd known for the last seventy years. I couldn't turn away from them. More importantly, I couldn't do that to Bella, either.

But I stepped back. I had to find myself. I had to find what I'd lost. In my seventy-two years with Alice. She'd manipulated me. Changed me. I was less than half the vampire I once was.

I realized four years ago what I was missing. When Bella led that newborn army right into my waiting hands and I was forced to reach for the Major once more. Alice, while pretending for the family that we were okay during that time, wouldn't touch me.

She hated the Major. She would rather fuck a dog than let me put my hands on her in that mindset.

If Peter and Char could see me now, they'd laugh.

I'd seen them six years ago, shortly after Edward found Bella. I could feel their concern and curiosity burning. What happened to the Major? Why is he acting like this?

I had no answer, other than my bitch of an ex wife. She had molded me into the pussy of a man she wanted me to be. When I handed her the divorce papers, only Bella and Renesmee would back me up. They were the reason I stayed. My niece and my … Bella.

Bella. I couldn't call her my sister. Those weren't the feelings I had for her. I didn't know what I felt for her. Pride. Joy. Curiosity. A myriad of different emotions flew through me. She may have been Edward's mate, but she was mine to mold. She was an unpredictable young filly straight out of the chutes. She needed to be taught and no one was more capable than I. I had turned and trained hundreds of newborns. I was well versed in all takes on vampire life.

Carlisle only had turned four vampires and only knew one way to live. Edward had none. Neither of them were qualified.

Of course, that was all over now. We were forcibly moved into Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where we could be easily dispatched. Bella was locked in a room in the basement because she had become unstable. I hated to see it happen to her. We had done this with some of the darker, more erratic newborns, only letting them out when it was time to fight. It wasn't fair for her to be treated that way, but Carlisle and Esme didn't understand what was wrong with her. They didn't understand what she needed. She was trapped in her own rage and self loathing. She needed to find a way to express that. She'd completely given over to her instincts and if she faced a Volturi member now she would explode in a fit of pure wrath.

Edward and Alice had joined the Volturi. When Aro showed up on our doorstep with his full guard and demanded that we separate or be moved to a contained facility he had offered them a place with him. Alice had said yes in seconds. She'd seen everything. The look on Edward's face had been pure devastation as he watched the visions play through her mind. He looked at Bella, who had her arms wrapped around Renesmee defensively. The pure hate and rage in Bella's eyes had been enough to tell us all we needed to know. She was at her breaking point. I felt Edward give up in that moment. He could no longer deal with her. My rage spiraled when I felt that. I knew an instant before he said it that he was joining them. I also felt Bella snap. If it hadn't been for Renesmee in her arms, sobbing and crying for her father not to go, then Bella would have attacked Aro. But her daughter came first. Her maternal instincts overpowered all else.

Bella, for all of her turmoil, had managed a coherent request devoid of animosity. If we cooperated, which Carlisle had all intentions of doing, regardless of the threat to his family, she wanted her daughter to be allowed to go free and not be bothered. Aro agreed and our fate was sealed.

Renesmee went to live with Jacob on the Reservation. Bella gave some last minute information to Sam and Jacob, and we packed up and left. We were put in a small manor in the middle of 60 acres of woods. We weren't allowed to leave unless accompanied by the guard member that stood on the outside of Bella's shield, which had become solid to those she deems a threat.

It was all because of Alice that we were in this predicament. She hadn't told us that the Volturi were coming, all because she was pissed at me over the divorce and ignoring her visions.

Edward left with Alice when Bella broke. She'd lost her daughter, both of her best friends, and her parents in a matter of minutes. He lost faith in her and her love for him, and he failed to realize how much she would need his support when we left. No matter how many fucking times I told him.

_"You don't know what you're talking about, Jasper. Just leave it alone."_ Was all he said to me. I was ready to rip his head off myself, but he was Volturi now, and that would have caused more problems than it was worth. The family could put her back together. We didn't need his help.

Rosalie and I had supported her all the way to the new house. We didn't call it home because it wasn't. Esme wasn't allowed to redecorate, Carlisle wasn't allowed to work at the local hospital, and we weren't allowed to go anywhere or do anything. All of our things were airlifted in, and we had to hunt scarcely, because we didn't know how long we would be here.

I was broken from my inner monologue by someone landing on the roof next to me. It was very difficult to sneak up on me these days. Because I had slid into the Major in an effort to protect my family from those bastards in Italy, I was on high alert; hence my post as sentry on top of the roof.

I knew it was Rosalie, without having to look. Not just by her scent, but by the fact that her emotions alone always sang with an undercurrent of worry for Bella these days. Emmett was set on a permanent loop of boredom and worry, while Carlisle and Esme had turned to each other and pretty much said fuck the rest of us until the Volturi realize what they had done. Fat chance. Carlisle put far too much faith in Aro.

"Rosalie." I acknowledged. The family rarely spoke to me first, these days. Preferring to leave me to the shadows where, as the Major, we were all more comfortable with me hiding; especially as they dealt with their own grief. They knew forcing me into anything was going to make life worse.

"Peter called." She told me, lighting two cigarettes and handing me one. We'd both taken the habit back up from our human days as a means to cope. Two different worlds. Same Vice.

We were the only ones in the house that did, so we kept it outside for Esme's sake. It was ironic how much like Rosalie and I really were, even being from two different times.

"He wants to visit with Charlotte. I told him you'd call him back. That we needed to convince Bella that they meant no harm before they were getting past the shield." She crouched down and continued to smoke her cigarette in silence.

I mulled it over while I let the taste of nicotine flood my system. It did nothing to us, but the motions were familiar enough. It brought us a sense of calm. Besides, it wasn't like we could get cancer or something from it. We were already dead. Mind you, that last detail was the only reason Carlisle even considered allowing it. Everyone in the house was already dead and therefore couldn't be harmed by it's effects. Still, we stayed outside. We were also told never around the humans.

"I'll talk to her." I told Rosalie. "I'm going to need some blood, though. She's half starved as it is, only taking miniscule amounts as her instincts allow. She's completely reverted to the monster within because of all the trauma. She can't deal with it. Even with our vast minds. She barely takes enough to survive and never more than that because it's not what she truly wants. My powers can only do so much when she's like this."

Rosalie nodded as Emmett left the house with a wave. "I'll find her something good." He called up. He was going bear hunting anyway. He needed to get out for a while. He knew he would have a tail, so he would have to make it quick.

"Emmett!" Rosalie screamed. "No Wolf."

He nodded and left in his Jeep. As long as we left alone, we could leave the state. Even with a shadow on us. We were only allowed to be gone for two days, so he would have to drive fast to get somewhere that had what he was looking for. They were taking no more risks with us. Even our phone calls were monitored. I had a feeling we weren't the only coven.

"We have to do something, Jas." Rosalie whispered. "I can't live like this for eternity. Bella can't live like this. And Nessie. Oh, Gods, how she must feel, separated from her family like this …"

"The only way they'll let us go is if we take our mates and separate, Rosalie." I told her. "Is that what you want to do? Abandon your family?"

"Fuck you, Jasper." She snarled. "Demitri can't track us under Bella's Shield."

I shook my head. "Don't worry, little sister." I said smirking over my shoulder at her. "I'm already working on a plan. Have been since we got here." I dropped off the roof and walked inside. Esme was at her work Station. Carlisle was reading medical journals online.

I went to visit Bella. I opened her door and locked myself in. I sat down on the floor, with my back against the door. I watched her. She emitted nothing but feral sounds and low moans. She was pacing. I could see where she'd ripped the sheets off of the bed and made a sort of nest in the corner. She didn't want the civilized way of life. Her room was a concrete box on top of reinforced steel and dirt. It was the only room in the basement. The door opened into a walkway that led to the stairs. The bottom of the stairs was a bit of cement flooring that was just big enough to swing the door open. She couldn't get out if she tried. For the most part she was left alone. She had a few books stacked in the corner, just in case (according to Esme), and a dresser and closet full of clothes, and a bed. She had a laptop computer on top of her dresser that looked as if it hadn't been touched since she was put in here, judging by the layer of dust on everything. She hadn't even changed her clothes since that day. No one could get close enough to do it for her. Even the door to the in suite bathroom remained untouched.

"Isabella." I murmured. Her head snapped up and she growled. She hated that name. It was a good thing the walls were reinforced with steel and … well … ground. It was a fallout bunker, after all. "Are you done wallowing in self pity? Are you ready to be useful?"

She growled at me again and sank into a crouch in front of her nest-like thing. She was ready for a fight.

This is what I wanted from her. She needed to release all of that pent up anger that she'd been sitting on for the last few months. She needed a way to bring herself back into sanity, or she would never resurface as the girl we once knew. As it was, she would never be the same.

I was the only one that could properly take her. I'd trained her as well as I'd trained Peter and Charlotte when they were newborns and beyond. Beyond what the family had learned, because she needed to know. After the first incident with the Volturi, she'd asked, and I'd answered. None but I could take her now. Maybe Peter and Charlotte could.

I rose from my seat and she began to pace. "What are you going to do, Isabella?" I asked. I needed to provoke her. Get her to attack. "Are you going to let them keep you locked in here like this? They took your daughter, who you died to bring into this world, from you. They took your best friend from you. The same best friend that you punched and broke a hand for, so that he didn't get a broken heart. Then they convinced your mate that the best thing that he could do for you would be to leave to you," I waited a beat as she tensed. "Again."

That did it. She launched herself at me and tried to rip my throat out. That meant she was fighting like a newborn. She tried to rip me apart, but I stayed away from her teeth, easily. She hadn't fed well for months. She was weak. She couldn't focus, and she couldn't coordinate. Emmett was getting her blood because she had starved herself. When she started panting and growling at me in frustration, I sent her a wave of calm and peace. She slowed her movements before she stopped attacking entirely, merely punching me in the chest a few times as a dry sob wracked through her body. She moved away from me and curled up in a ball on the floor, rocking.

"Emmett will be back soon with blood." I told her. "Now that you're relatively sane, you should be able to feed fully and then we'll talk."

She looked up at me with a wide, black, doe-eyed look that I hadn't seen since she was human. They were full of pure need, fear, and sadness. She needed someone, anyone, to help her through this, and I was the only one that had even tried. "Spar with me again, tomorrow?" She asked. Her voice was rough from lack of use, but was still the peal of bells that I remembered.

"I will." I told her. "After you've fed."

She nodded and moved to curl up in her make-shift nest. I was right, I thought as Carlisle let me out. She needed someone she could vent against. She needed an outlet.

Carlisle looked at me in concern. "Are you sure this is a good idea? She's not stable, Jasper. Far from it. The trauma that she's suffered this year is going to have lasting affects, even in her vampire psyche. She may never be able to function normally again."

I glared at him. "You may be able to live your life passively following blindly behind Aro's tyranny, but I refuse. I also refuse to let my siblings do the same. You need to grow a pair, Carlisle, cause you're about to lose your family."

"What are you talking about?" Carlisle asked.

"That's your daughter in there." I snarled at him. "Who's been broken beyond anything because of what Aro did to her. He took her child, her best friend, her mate, and her parents in one fell swoop, and when that broke her, you tossed her into solitude because you didn't know how to deal with it. She needs the support and the people around her. She's absolutely convinced that this is all her fault. That alone should send you into a blind rage. Imagine if it were you and Esme, Carlisle. She loved him unconditionally, despite the fact that he's completely controlled her until now. The moment she showed signs of cracking under the emotional strain of losing everything, he ran like the coward that he is, tail tucked firmly between his legs."

"You don't know that." Carlisle said. "None of us know what Alice saw."

I laughed. "I don't need to know what Alice showed him to convince him that he needed to come with her. I just know it worked. You don't have to believe me, Carlisle. You can continue to live in your happy little fantasy world where everything is rainbows and sunshine and Aro has no ulterior motives for putting us here. The rest of us are going to find a way to get on with life."

Carlisle's emotions spun. "Is that why she's like this?"

I nodded. "She lost Ness, Jake, the pack, her parents, and her husband all in a matter of minutes." I looked him in the eye. "That would drive anyone insane." I walked outside and returned to my usual spot. Rosalie was still there.

* * *

RosePOV

I kept watch for Jasper until he returned. I was so worried. I relished in the time to myself. The time to process things without everyone pressing in on me.

Em and I were going crazy out here. The only way the Volturi would allow us freedom was if we separated permanently. They feared our coven. Between Bella's shield and Jasper's empathy, they knew they would lose against us, so they kept us contained. We'd lost Fuckward and Pixiebitch to them as well. Things didn't look good for us.

We needed to get Bella sane again so we could discuss our options. We had to do something. Our blood supply was depleting, and hunting was no longer the reprieve it once was. We were trapped, like the animals we hunted.

Jas came back and took his usual stance as sentry. He'd changed for the better, I think. Gone was the pussy prep I'd come to know as my twin. In his place stood the vampire the War Lords of the South feared. I couldn't imagine what plans he was making.

I only knew it was big and I would be behind when it happened. Whatever it was.

"Your loyalty means a lot to me, Rose. As does Emmett's." He said, not looking at me. "Just be ready when the time comes. It'll happen fast. It's time for a reform in our world, and I know just how to do it."

"Jas, Aro and the guard will eat newborns alive." I protested.

He smirked over his shoulder at me. "I'm counting on it."

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A/n: Come on, you have tell me what you think. It's definitely not going to be the same as all the other 'overthrow the volturi' fics out there. I've made sure of it. It's my biggest thing right now. My main focus. Hit the button, tell me what you think.

leggy freak003

Power: Noun. Great or marked ability to do or act.


	3. Chapter 2

A/n: And here's chapter 2. My beta was holding it hostage. Go figure. I will say that I have no set update schedule. It's all on my beta and when she decides to send back my chapters will the corrections and whatnot made. Sorry to disappoint. We've got a few projects going all at the same time so whenever I can, I'll update. Hopefully it'll be with some frequency.

D/c: Twilight isn't mine. I just use SMeyer's work for my own twisted pleasures.

Thanks to Snow-white-queen89 for her epic beta skillz. Love her to death.

Chapter 2

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BellaPOV

I looked up as Jasper returned with the blood. I drank most of it and slowly regained what remained of my senses. My Nessie was safe. That was what mattered, in the long run. It wouldn't matter, soon. I would see my daughter again. With the return of my senses, came my thinking ability, and my vampire mind was already starting to plan. I would have my family back. Even without my soon-to-be-ex husband.

Jasper leaned against the door. "In three hours we need you to open up a crack in the shield. For Peter and Char." He said. "They're coming to visit."

I nodded. "What's the plan?" I asked, moving towards the bathroom for a long overdue shower. When you're thinking with your baser instincts, hygiene isn't one of your main concerns. "I know you have one."

I walked into the bathroom and started stripping, turning on the water to full hot. I knew that Jasper was smirking from the other room.

"I'm thinking something along the lines of a Revolution." he said.

I poked my head out the door, hiding my bare torso. "How?" With Edward's departure, something in me broke. A long dormant version of myself broke free. Bitchy, sarcastic, skeptical Bella was back from her long break. My mother would be proud. She'd missed me while I was living with Charlie. Once I'd moved out, I'd planned on returning to my old ways, but then I met Edward, and he fell in love with the girl I had changed myself into. I'd locked her away for what I thought was forever. Now that he was gone, I didn't have to worry about it. I was leaving, anyway. They wouldn't have to deal with me for long.

"The same way the Colonials did." Jasper said. "Only we're going to Italy."

"Good." I said, ducking back into the bathroom. "That means I can put my soon-to-be-ex husband on a pyre." I thought for a moment. "Remind me to contact Jenks for divorce papers." I stepped under the spray and sighed in relief. The hot water felt fantastic. I'd been so tense for weeks. I needed a moment to relax.

"Will do." Jasper said. "At any rate, to start, we're going to take the separation deal. First, you and I will hit Forks to parley with the wolves, then we head south for the warlords. Meanwhile, Carlisle and Esme can have their peaceful existence."

"Let me guess." I called. "You're sending Em and Rose after nomads?" It wasn't a bad plan. It just needed some tweaking. I wasn't about to let him call all the shots. He wasn't the only one that lost something in all of this.

"You got it." He laughed. "Peter and Char are with us."

"Sounds good." I told him, finishing my shower and walking out in a towel. "Can't wait, but I think we need to tweak your plans a little bit."

"Why?" Jasper asked, staring at me as I moved. I was towel drying my hair. I was thinking about trimming it. "What do you think you could add that I haven't already thought of?"

"The fact that going to Italy means challenging them on their own turf." I told him, sitting down on the bed. I dropped my hair towel next to me on the mattress and looked at him. "Think about it. If we go to Italy and challenge them in Volterra, then we're at the disadvantage. They know the area better than we do. That's not counting the exposure risk. We want them out of power, but we still don't need the humans to know about us. That would just create more trouble for us in the short term. We need to challenge them somewhere open, somewhere we don't have to worry about humans coming across us by accident."

He looked thoughtful. "You're right." he ran a hand through his hair. "I guess I still haven't completely reverted back, yet."

I shrugged and got up. "Look, I realize you're still trying to find yourself, but you really need to take a break and think about short term goals before you start making big plans. I agree with you completely on the method, but we need to keep this low key."

He nodded and watched as I walked over to my dresser. I pulled out a pair of clean underwear and a matching bra, both in black silk. I rooted around for a pair of low-rise black jeans and pulled them on as well before dropping my towel completely. I turned to finish the blood I had been brought and chugged it.

I heard Jasper growl as blood trailed down my chin, neck, and breast. When I set down the jug, I found myself pinned against the wall. His tongue trailed up to the corner of my mouth. "Bear." He murmured. "Typical Emmett."

I smirked. "Jas, what are you doing?" He had moved back to my neck and started nipping and sucking at the flesh. It had been so long. Edward had been reluctant past the attack by the Volturi. It had been nearly twenty months. I would bend to his will if he demanded it.

He laughed. "You're a very special young vampire, aren't you?" he nuzzled my neck. "Very neglected, as well."

I whimpered as his hands found my breasts. "Jas, why are you …" my breath caught as he rolled my nipple between his fingers. "Fuck."

Jasper smirked. "So responsive." he murmured. "Do you want this, Bella? Do you want me to take you?" he thrust against me and I threw my head back.

"YES!"

"Jasper, stop." Came a foreign voice. We both growled as our eyes found Carlisle standing in the doorway, shocked. Jasper didn't move as my hands slid to cover my chest as much as possible. Jasper was one thing. Carlisle was another.

"Go away, Carlisle." Jasper snarled.

"Get off her, Jasper. She's not yours." Carlisle snapped. It was the closest I'd ever seen him to looking like the vampire he was instead of the human he pretended to be.

"This doesn't concern you, Carlisle." Jasper informed him. "Isabella is an adult. She can make her own decisions."

"Bella," Carlisle murmured, trying a different tactic. "What about Edward, your husband and mate. He'll be devastated. You know he'll come back once he finds out you're well again."

I laughed. Jasper stepped away from me, realizing that it wasn't happening today. "You're an idiot, Carlisle." I told him, pulling on a tank top that fit my form and stopped an inch above my belly button. "A fool too blind to see what's really in front of you. Edward left me. Remember? Willingly, I might add. The moment I started to lose it."

I pulled my hair back into a bun and faced him as he shook his head. "He left to protect you, Bella. He left to keep you out of Volturi hands and keep Renesmee safe." Carlisle claimed.

I snorted. "Is that what he told you?" I asked, deadpan. My voice sounded dark, even to my own ears. "You know nothing." I told him, staring at the floor as my mind returned to that night. "You were too busy to care…"

"_Bella, I know you're not happy about this move, but you know that it's best." Edward said as he walked into our bedroom at the cabin. Nessie was already packed away to the Rez with Jake. It was just me and him. It took me back to that night, the first time he left me. _

_I wasn't in control. I knew that I didn't have the control to face him like this. I was losing it fast and it wouldn't be long before I broke down and reverted completely. "I don't know what you're talking about, Edward. How could it be what's best for you to leave behind your family? Your wife and child? It doesn't make any sense to me."_

_Edward sighed. "Bella, you know I love you. You know I love Nessie. I would do anything for you."_

"_Then fight back!" I screamed at him. "Tell them that you don't want to join them. We can go away together. See the world. We could come back every couple of months to see Nessie and Jake. Go visit the rest of the family. They only said we couldn't live together, not that we couldn't visit each other. We can become nomads for a while."_

_Edward shook his head. "You didn't see what Alice saw, Bella. This is the only way. If I don't join them, they'll come after you and Nessie."_

_I threw down the shoes that I had been packing and left holes in the floor. "You are so full of shit!" I screamed. I could feel her coming free again. The one I'd tried so hard to keep from him. That darker personality. "You're doing this to save your own ass. You're doing this because you're running scared. You know as well as I do that I'm on the verge of a full fucking collapse and you don't know how to handle it, so you're taking the coward's way out. AGAIN! Tell me I'm wrong." I challenged._

_Edward stared me down, fear in his eyes. "I think you've been spending too much time with Emmett."_

"_I call Bullshit." I told him. "Don't try to change the subject, Edward. My language has nothing to do with this argument other than the fact it's a side effect of my current breakdown because I'm losing my daughter, husband, best friends, and parents all in one fell swoop." I shook my head as he failed to deny anything. I could see in his eyes that he wasn't going to change his mind and that he was scared shitless of me. I was barely past my newborn years. My eyes had only just lost their last traces of red. He was scared that something was going wrong with me._

"_Yes." He said. "Yes, alright? I'm scared. I'm scared for your safety, I'm scared for Nessie. I'm scared for our family. I'm also scared of you. Is that what you wanted to hear? That you terrify me? You haven't been the same since you changed, Bella. For the most part, sure, but you've been slowly growing more and more aggressive. Ever since the last meeting we had with the Volturi, you've become more and more extroverted. I miss it being just you and me, like it used to be."_

"_So you're going to leave me?" I asked him. _

_He nodded. "It's the only way. You know what they say: Absence makes the heart grow fonder. When we meet again, maybe it'll be for good."_

"_Or maybe this is the end of us." I growled. I wasn't going to break like the little girl I had once been. I wasn't going to crumble in his hands again. "This is the second time you've broken that promise to me, Edward. You once told me that you would leave if it was the best thing for me. We've already discovered once that that isn't the right way to go. When you got back, you promised me, you SWORE, that you would never leave me again. Yet, here we stand, on the verge of yet another separation." I was done with him. I was done with his games. Looking back, I saw just how one-sided this relationship was. I looked him in the eye and saw my own black eyes reflected at me. "Congratulations, Edward, you've broken me again. I hope you're proud of yourself, because this time, there's no one to pick up the pieces. Get your shit and get out of my house. I hope you burn in Hell._"

"…I broke completely." I told Carlisle. "The next thing I remember is yesterday." I covered my face with one hand and wrapped the other around the chasm that was threatening to reopen in my chest. The same one I thought closed. "Because you didn't stop him when you saw my state. Because you didn't stand up to Aro and be a fucking vampire. You had to play the submissive human, just like always."

Jasper was smirking at the dumbfounded look on Carlisle's face. I would have found it funny too, if I weren't so pissed off.

"And you're not the only one guilty." I told him. "I'm just as guilty as you in that I didn't fight, either. But I'm done playing the submissive. I'm sick of being pushed around and controlled. Aro's days are numbered." I looked him straight in the eye as I faced off. "With that said, I'm leaving. For good. I'll be gone in a few hours, because I'm done living here. I'm going to visit my daughter, best friend, and father, and then I'm going to travel." I had him completely dumbstruck.

He left and I turned to Jasper. He had his plans, I was formulating mine. Bella Cullen was dead. I was a new and improved Isabella Swan and it was time to play.

* * *

JasPOV

I could tell she was planning. Isabella Swan wasn't one to sit back and twiddle her fucking thumbs. Even when she was human, she was loath to sit on her ass and wait for people to do things for her. She wanted in on the action.

Watching her put Carlisle in his place was fucking beautiful. She held nothing back and I knew that this Bella was going to do well in vampire society. Peter and Char would fucking love her.

I head Esme and Carlisle take off into the woods and smirked. "What are you planning, Doll?"

"Getting out of here." Bella said. "I want to go home and see my kids. I want to get out of this room. Most of all, I want away from the memories of him."

She seemed so vulnerable in that moment. She'd been broken, not once, but twice, by the man that she gave herself to wholly; been betrayed by the girl she thought was her best friend; had her daughter and other best friend ripped from her; and watched her life fall down around her in less than a months time.

I was fucking ashamed. I'd all but fucked her against a wall because of the sheer force of her sexuality. If that was what Edward had gone home to, how the fuck did he walk away? I'd never let her leave the damned room.

I knew that answer. Edward was a fucking prude. Emmett and I had been hunting one night and had come through the clearing down wind of the house. Nessie had been at the main house to spend time with Auntie Alice and Auntie Rose.

Nothing. The fucking prudepire didn't even have the balls to take his all to willing wife. Why? They'd been in a fight earlier when she'd tried to jump him after feeding. He never could give her what she needed. Em and I had felt bad for her.

I sat down in a chair and faced her. "So what are we going to do, Querida?"

"We?" She asked.

I nodded. "I stuck around because of you, Bella. We're the odd ones out in this. Carlisle and Esme would have been perfectly content to let you rot down here. Rose and Em would have bailed sooner, had I not stuck around."

She laughed. "Fuck too, you had no where else to go."

She called my bluff … sort of. She was good. "While that's true, it's not my only reason for staying." I told her. "So are you going to be my companion or not?" I asked, redirecting.

She nodded. "First step is a phone call to Aro. Second is to Jake. After that, we'll see."

I smirked. "What are you thinking, Bells?"

She gained an absolutely feral grin. "I think it's time for the reign of terror to end, Jasper. I don't think our coven was the only one hit. Denali coven was good sized as well and I would be willing to bet that the Southern Covens are next."

I was shocked. She'd deduced that much in just a few short hours, at the same time she was giving Carlisle a verbal beat down and nearly fucking me. I was impressed. Vampires had fast and vast minds, but her mind was running well above the norm. It was either that, or she'd done a lot of thinking while she was pacing and growling down here. If we could collaborate properly, then this whole thing was going to be a beautiful bloodbath.

"So what are we going to do?" I asked.

Bella shook her head and smirked at me. "I'm not making any final decisions yet."

I was curious, now. Why wouldn't we begin moving against them as soon as possible. There was no way …

"Alice." I hissed. "Agreed."

"The moment the wolves decide to assist in whatever it is we decide to do," Bella told me, "She'll be blind. You, more than anyone, should know that."

I nodded. "I forgot about that, actually. But I agree with you." I mentally wiped my plan board clean and smirked. "Well? What are we waiting for?"

"Well, for one, Peter and Charlotte are going to be here in about … ten minutes. I just felt them pass through the Shield. Then we have to call Aro and tell him that we're leaving the family so we don't end up with a shadow. After that is a trip to Forks, where everything starts." Bella told me. She finished her blood and walked towards the stairs. "You coming?"

I nodded, not voicing the come back I had passing through my head. We needed to get things moving, and the quicker we did that, the quicker we could move on with our lives.

I would let her go, for now. She had a mind for strategy. She'd read enough of my history books to know a good plan from a bad one. We would work well together. Collaborate. When the fighting came, I would take charge. I was the Major, after all.

I was the brawn, she was the brain. We could make this work.

It was only a matter of time.

* * *

A/n: Tell me what you think. I love hearing from my readers. It's what keeps me posting.

Review Responses (wow there's a lot of you)

Coffee-for-closers: Thanks, hon. I meant to tell you, but with everything else going on, I spaced.

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twimama77: ^_^ I think i had a little too much fun with some of it, but that's the point here.

sparklingEAMC: Thank you! I hope you are enjoying reading it as much as I am writing it!

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And with that said, i take my leave. See you all in the next chapter.

leggy freak003


	4. Chapter 3

A/n: Wow. Talk about an overwhelming response to this fic. I never expected it to blow up as much as it did. Here we are with Chapter 3. It's going to be all kinds of fun. I think this is the last of my short chapters, too. I'm very pleased with myself. Enjoy

D/c: All characters, places, and other are property of Stephanie Meyer, much to my dismay. The plot, however, that's all mine.

Chapter 3

* * *

I walked upstairs to find Emmett and Rosalie rolling around on the couch. I ignored them and continued to the kitchen and the land line. They both froze and watched me as I went. I didn't care what they were doing. Most senses of modesty had vanished along with my … innocence. They could be in the middle of a fuck-fest for all I cared.

I heard a thud and some grumbling from Emmett just before Rose appeared before me. She was staring at me in shock and fear. I moved with a stalking grace. I no longer moved with the fanciful steps I had. I simply moved. She was smiling. I guess she was happy that I was back to sanity.

"Bella!" She cried.

I glanced at her and she stepped away. I knew my eyes were still dark, but I didn't care at this point. I would hunt for myself soon, but for now, I was simply fed, pissed off, and more than a little horny. Of course my eyes would be black.

"You're not Bella." She told me. "I don't know who you are, but you aren't my sister. You're to dark to be Bella Cullen."

"Bella Cullen died the day Edward left, Rose." I told her, sitting down at the table, phone in hand. I made a quick surveillance of the kitchen. No appliances. This house was designed for vampires with no intention of human visitors. The Volturi had been planning for a while, then. There was a sink, but I doubt it ran. There was no stove, no fridge. The counter tops were blue granite and the cupboards were cherry wood. Vampire extravagance at it's best, I suppose. There was also a sliding glass door in the back and bay windows in the front. The table and chairs I was seated at were wrought iron.

I turned back to Rosalie. "It's just Bella. At least, that's how I'm differentiating." I set the phone down and rested my head on my fist, propped up on the table. "I suppose I should tell you. I'm leaving the family. I guess Jasper is joining me. That will leave the Cullen Coven at four and you guys can go back to your normal life. Personally, I'm going to be doing a bit of traveling. First to Nessie, then to the other covens. That's the phone call I'm about to make. I'll be gone in a few hours. If Esme and Carlisle get back after I leave, fill them in with my deepest gratitude and regret, will you?"

Jasper appeared with Emmett in the doorway as I dialed the phone.

"_Italiano o English?" _The voice asked.

"English." I said. I hate automated systems. They were so irritating.

"_Volturi Palace, this is Gianna, how may I help you_?" a woman asked.

"Patch me through to Aro." I demanded.

"_I'm sorry, Miss, I don't know what you're talking about. There's no one by that name here." _Gianna said. She was still irritating. I remember her being overly perky when I was in Volterra to save Edward's sorry ass from his well deserved fate.

"Patch me through to Aro, Gianna. Tell him its Bella Swan." I repeated. Once I told her who I was there was a pregnant silence.

"_I see_." She said. "_One moment, Miss Swan. I'll patch you through_."

"_Ah, Mia Bella, How nice of you to call. Have you reconsidered my offer?"_ It was Aro on the line now. I scowled.

"No." I told him flatly. "I have no intention of joining your guard, Aro. I do, however, intend to leave the Cullens." I looked up to see Rosalie staring out the window with Emmett looking between her and me. Jasper had taken a seat at the table and was waiting patiently.

"_Bella, when last we met, you were in no condition to be on your own. It's why I made the suggestion to Carlisle to have you put in that room." _Aro told me.

So he was the one that came up with that brilliant scheme. No wonder. I briefly entertained the notion of Edward's involvement before returning to the conversation. "Yes, my box." I responded, tapping my finger on the wrought iron table, denting it in my rage. "I assure you, Aro, I'm much better than I was. A little thirsty, but no worse for wear. Surely you can understand that losing someone as dear to me as Edward was, not once but twice, will surely take it's toll on anyone's psyche."

"_Yes, I quite agree. I am sorry about that, Bella, I truly am." _He said. "_But you must understand _…"

"Oh, I understand perfectly, Aro." I said, trying to keep the growl out of my voice. "You wanted Edward's power. Family life was beginning to bore him. It was to your mutual benefit for him to join you." I was cold, shocking rose and Emmett. " To business, Aro. Jasper and I are leaving the family. In this, I want to visit my daughter. Whenever I want."

"_Of course, of course." _Aro said. "_The only reason behind your internment was your family's _…"

"Pot-kettle, Aro." I said, cutting him off. "Your family is far larger than ours with more gifted members. Remember _that_ when speaking to me on this issue." I told him. "I'll speak to you again in the future, Aro. Ciao." I hung up on him.

The whole room was silent. Emmett and Rosalie were staring at me in pure shock, I would assume at my gall. I had just told off Aro of the Volturi. Not even his brothers had the balls to do that. I didn't care anymore. The sooner he came to me, and I took him out, the sooner I would live in peace with my daughter and my family.

I turned to Jasper. "How close are your friends."

"E-T-A three minutes." He said.

I relaxed into my chair and took in Emmett and Rosalie. "I know you two are a little stunned right now, but I'm not sorry. The person you see before you isn't the same girl that you met back in Forks. This is going to be news for all of you, but she was an act. A persona put on for the good of my father. When I fell in love with Edward, I locked my true personality away so that we could be together. When he left, the cage broke, and now I am what you see. There's no turning back."

Rosalie shook her head. "You're so cold, though." She glared. "What's everyone going to think when they see you acting like a cold-blooded, merciless bitch."

I smirked and tilted my head. "What do they think about you?" She sputtered as Jasper caught my eye and jerked his head towards the walk way. I rose to my feet with a sigh and followed him.

"You're causing quite a mess." Jasper told me. "They're rather scared and impressed." We waited in the foyer for his friends to arrive.

They both reacted to Jasper with pure joy and love. Peter was about Jasper's height, only bulkier, with a blond feathered haircut and crimson red eyes. Charlotte was slight, fairy sized, with long, white-blond hair and crimson eyes. They were both covered in scars, much like Jasper was, from their time in the Southern Wars.

Peter greeted Jasper quickly before turning to me with bright, red eyes. Charlotte turned her full attention on Jasper. "We meet again, Isabella." Peter said, smiling widely.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Peter." I told him, accepting his kiss on my cheek. "What brings you to our neck of the woods?"

"Oh, this and that." Peter said cryptically. "I'm glad to see you're finally coming out of your shell, though. Much better than the timid newborn you were when we last met."

I stared at him for a moment. "Did you know this would happen?" My temper was starting to rise. I needed to remain calm if I was going to accomplish my goals.

"To a degree." Peter told me. "I knew that you and Edward were all wrong for each other and I knew that Alice and Jasper were separating soon. I also knew that something big was coming. I just didn't know the details. My interference, however, would have made things so much worse."

"You're a seer." I stated flatly. I turned to look at Jasper who was eyeing Peter in amusement.

"Not in the way you mean. I have an intuition. I just know shit. And I'm never wrong." Peter told me with a smirk.

"And he's fucking obnoxious about it." Jasper cut in. "And cryptic as hell."

I smirked. "Interesting." I was fairly glad he was so loyal to Jasper, then. For us to have someone like him after we blinded Alice would give us a fantastic advantage. I smiled at Charlotte and turned away from them, not missing the shit-eating grin on Peter's face. I heard a crack and smirked. I was almost positive that Charlotte had smacked Peter upside the head. She'd done it a fair few times the last time I'd seen them. She danced up to my side and threaded her arm through mine as I headed back to my hole in the ground.

"You're all badass now." She said. "It's nice. I can't read you as well as the others, but even I knew you were keeping something hidden."

"Read me?" I asked. I was not dealing with another Edward. I sincerely hoped she didn't mean minds.

"Your personality." Charlotte told me. "It's my ability, I guess. I can tell what a person is really like by looking at them. It's kind of a shadow hovering around people. Most of the time, that personality is completely different than the one projected. It's who a person really is and generally makes all the gestures that the person really wants to make. Yours is blurred and grey, so I can only get a basic gist of what it's trying to get at. Jasper is finally getting closer to what his is. He hasn't been this close since we left Maria."

I looked at Charlotte with pure curiosity. "Have you ever met anyone that mirrored theirs?"

"Most of the Cullens do." Charlotte said.

I smirked. "Charlotte …"

"My family calls me Char." She told me. "And you're important to Jasper. Makes you kin, sweet thing."

I really liked her. "Char, I'm starting a little venture. Nothing definite yet, but would you and Peter be willing to join Jas and I."

She gave me a suspicious look. "Bella, do you want to use our powers to overthrow the Volturi?"

I nodded. "Don't take it the wrong way, Char, but they tore my family apart. I'm a new woman and I'm not going to let them get away with it. I have all intentions of being up front with everyone I ask. This is veritable suicide, but they can't be allowed to bully us anymore."

Charlotte sighed. "I understand where you're coming from, Bella, but what about after? Have you thought that far?"

I stopped. "What do you mean?" I asked as Jasper and Peter joined us. Jasper stood beside me, his arms crossed around his chest and a solid look on his face. Peter stood behind Char.

"After you've take them out." Charlotte said. "Jasper, you know better than we do the early days of the Southern Wars. The only reason that stopped is _because_ of the Volturi. What happens when that fear is gone? Things will get worse, and not just in the south. All over the globe. No all vampires have the same respect for humanity that we do." She gave us an imploring look, her voice almost pleading.

"We don't disagree that the Volturi need to go." Peter added. "Aro has gotten power hungry, and Caius is hell bent on his warmongering and has gotten complacent. They've been in power for far too long. Marcus is the only one with a level head, because he was kept grounded by the loss of his mate a couple centuries ago. The problem is that the voice of reason is often drown out.

I thought about this. The guard followed orders. That was all. Marcus was the voice of reason. He seemed bored both times I'd met him. Aro's ego and Caius' warmongering must've been wearing on him. I turned to Jasper and saw that he was deep in thought as well.

"They're right, Bella. There still needs to be a lawful body in the vampire world. A government of sorts … but we need to find a way to do it without too much power being in one vampire's hands." He said. "If not, shit would go to hell, and fast."

"Jas?" I asked. He shook his head and I could see the tactical wheels in his head spinning.

"Wait until we get to the rez. Go pack. Pete, Char, you coming with us?"

"Aye, Major." Peter said. "For a while, anyway. You know that we're going to have to break off at some point." He gave Jasper a meaning full look. "But this is why we came. You two needed to think things through a little farther."

Jasper nodded. "You're right. I'm working on it. We can't do anything definite until we get to the Rez."

They continued talking and I moved to my room. I threw my clothes in a bag and got ready to go. Jasper led us out to the Mustang Convertible that Peter and Charlotte had arrived in. For now, this would be our ride. Peter took the wheel and Jasper and I jumped in the back after depositing our bags in the trunk. We would have to get our own rides soon.

* * *

Volterra, Italy

A scream echoed through the halls of Volturi Castle. Edward looked up from his papers as Alice raced into the meeting room he occupied with Aro and Caius.

"What is it, Alice?" Aro asked.

"Bella and Jasper." She panted, clutching her head. "Their futures just started spinning out of control. They're constantly changing their minds. The only things certain are the addition of Peter and Charlotte to their little group, for now, and a trip to Forks. Everything else is a blur." Her red eyes were pained as she clutched her head harder and slid to the floor. "It won't stop."

Edward growled. He rose from his seat and walked over to her. He was starting to get a headache as well. "Alice, focus. You know this is a way to keep you off their trail until they get to the dogs. See through the melee of the methods. What's the goal?"

Alice took a deep breath. "Aro. Dead."

"Can you tell the motive?" Caius asked.

"No." Edward said. "Her ability doesn't work that way. Though, if I know Bella, and I do, she's been put up to it. Even her call to Aro was abnormal for her. She's not that mouthy."

"Ah, Edward, you forget her parting words to you." Aro pointed out.

Edward shook his head. "She was stressed. She's not like that, as you've seen."

Aro nodded. "Alice, my dear, do you need to hunt?"

She nodded weakly. "It hurts."

"Edward, can you handle it?" Aro turned to him.

Edward sighed. "I can, but I think it best if Alec numbs her so we can get her out of Volterra."

Aro waved his arm, dismissing them. "Take Jane as well.

* * *

Duluth, Minnesota

JPOV

My mind swirled with the endless possibilities as we cruised down the interstate. It was a 31 hour ride across six states to Forks. We'd made it to Duluth, Minnesota already. Peter had a nasty habit of keeping his speeds in the 90 miles per hour range. It wasn't as fast as I liked, but it would work. He said something about keeping a low profile when Bella had commented on it. She didn't care. She was pretending to sleep in the seat next to me.

Since we were vampires, the only time we would have to stop would be for gas, but that wouldn't be very often, and we had all intentions of driving through the night. In a day and a half we would be sitting in Forks. We would be home again.

Bella could barely contain her excitement. She couldn't wait to see Nessie and Jake, and I couldn't blame her. I missed my niece. Hell, I missed sparing with the wolves. Being locked up in that hell hole of a house in Michigan was worse than torture.

Rosalie and Emmett were taking advantage of our departure and planning a trip to Europe. They told Bella and I that they would report back on anything interesting, but were making no plans to actually visit certain covens. If they did meet up with vampires, they were to tell them about what was going on, but not call them into action actively. We needed to dodge Alice's visions as much as possible.

We were making as few decisions as possible. Alice and Edward were the wild cards. We had to keep them off our scent.

Peter shot me a look in the rear view as we slid easily onto state road 210. It was going to be a long night.

Peter and Char had brought up a very valid point. Part of their reason for coming was to get Bella and I to think things through a little bit more. I was falling back into the old motions. After our visit with the wolves would be to the south so I could parley with the Southern Warlords. Maria would be easy to win over, but the others hated me. I hoped Bella would be of some assistance in this.

Only time would tell if we were going to succeed. We needed to do a lot more work and planning before we made any truly concrete plans. I can just imagine the look on Maria's face when I walked into her camp with Bella at my side. Possibly a wolf as well. It was gonna be fun.

I still had a long way to go before I was fully back into Major Whitlock, but I was coming close, and I needed to get there before I met with Maria.

* * *

BPOV

I couldn't wait to get home. Oh, my Nessie, Mama is coming to visit. Very soon, my baby.

I was doing this for her. She was in constant danger as long as Aro was alive. I would see her safe. She was my reason for existing. I didn't die to bring her into this world just to watch her be taken out of it. Jacob and I didn't suffer through two years of hell just so that his imprint could be taken from him. It would end. I would make sure of it.

Even if it meant my life.

* * *

A/n: *blinks owlishly* I have to say, you guys ROCK MY WORLD! So many of you reviewed. I can't express how thankful and happy I am. I can't even reply to them all. It would be longer than the freaking chapter itself. You guys have made me so happy. I never expected this kind of response. Thanks loads.

That said, I have to tell you folks, you can guess all you want at the plot, I'm not telling you jack shit. It irritates the hell out of me when people do that, cause I won't answer. If you want to know what happens, you have to read. It's as simple as that.

Much love and i hope you enjoyed the chapter. Epic thanks to my reviewers. I heart you long time.

leggy freak003


	5. Chapter 4

A/n: Jeeeze, things are setting up now. This is going to be loads of fun. Here's chapter 4.

D/c: Twilight and all related Characters and Places belong to Stephanie Meyer. I do claim all responsibility for the plot. No copywright infringement intended.

Chapter 4

* * *

JPOV

We arrived in Forks and Bella sighed in relief. We stopped at the boarder and Bella took a deep breath, taking in the familiar scents around us. It was wonderful to be back. The air was cool and damp. It brought back memories of a better time.

Bella smirked as the heavy scent of wet dog permeated the air. The wolves had arrived. The three that were coming out of the woods didn't look familiar. Their individual scents were new as well.

The one in the lead started growling. Bella frowned. "I need to speak to Sam Uley and Jacob Black." She told them, never wavering.

One of the wolves shifted and angled towards her. They had no intentions of letting us live. The hostility and violence rolling of them was enough to send me into a rage. I pushed a wave of calm to them. They shifted uncomfortably. Unease and nervousness were now the dominant emotions. Two more wolves and someone else was coming.

Bella perked up at the scents. They were familiar. Jacob and Sam were coming. Nessie was with them. Bella was getting more excited. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders when they stopped on their side of the line to keep her from darting to them and taking Nessie into her arms. I didn't like to do it, but I knew what the treaty was and I knew that if she broke it, we would be in trouble. Nessie climbed off of Jacob's back with a tentative smile.

"Hi, Mama." She said. "When did you get here?" She seemed different. She was in turmoil. Emotionally, she couldn't stop on just one. In the melee I could discern a constant undercurrent of apprehension.

"Nessie." Bella said happily. "I came to see you. Aro let us out." Technically she hadn't given him a choice, but I digress.

Nessie couldn't contain herself anymore. She bolted across the line and threw herself into Bella's arms. Bella crooned to her as the dogs eyed Peter and Charlotte warily. I knew why they were concerned, but it would all be explained, eventually.

One of the unrecognized pups whimpered and winced as Sam glared at him sharply. Jake yelped happily and pranced off into the woods. He came back in human form and a pair of shorts. He was grinning widely as he turned to me.

"So you guys got louse, eh?" He asked. "That's good. We were worried after we got that letter."

Bella's head snapped up as her eyes glazed over. Nessie had her hand on Bella's cheek, showing her something. I didn't know what it was, but it set fire to the short fuse that was Bella's new temper. This couldn't be good. It was a good thing I still had my arm around her.

"What letter?" I asked.

Jake looked confused. "We got a letter from Bella telling us that you were all fine but we might not see her for a while."

Bella growled. "That son of a bitch." And there was the end of the fuse. Terrific. This probably wouldn't end well.

"MOM!" Nessie yelped.

"Sorry, baby." Bella said. "But I didn't send a letter."

"The state she was in wouldn't have made it possible." I added. "Bella hasn't been particularly … sociable in the last couple of months."

"You remember the dark days, Jake." Bella said, her voice low and a simmering anger that was even more dangerous than her explosive rage came ringing through her. I felt Jake's shot of sympathy and worry as well. "It was worse … so much worse."

Jake frowned. Regardless of his status as her son-in-law, he was still her best friend and he cared more than he would admit. He blamed their previous connection on Nessie, but the fact was that she was only part of it. Jake and Bella had a connection all their own. They just didn't know it.

"Who sent the letter?" He asked.

"Edward." Bella snarled. "It wouldn't be the first time he's forged my handwriting."

"I shook my head. "But why?"

Bella kissed Renesmee's head. "Has he contacted you?"

Nessie nodded. Sadness rocketed through her and sent her into a downward spiral that was close to what Bella had been feeling when she got back from Italy. "He said that …" Her voice choked and she was swamped again. "He said that he never wanted me and that he wouldn't see me again. He said that he was happy in Volterra and wouldn't bother me again."

I saw red. I wasn't the only one. Bella's growl redoubled as she took in what her daughter said. I had no idea why she was reacting like this, but it couldn't be far off from my own reasons. You don't tell your child that you never wanted them. He was just too damn good at breaking people, and he was definitely going to pay.

Something inside Bella roared as rage and pain swamped her, drowning all other emotions. My attempts to calm her were failing, which was something considering I was touching her and touch tailored the emotion to that particular being. Peter was watching her, her face cautious. I wondered what he knew. Char's face was contorted in shock. Whatever she was seeing made me glad that Bella was barely reacting on the outside. I could only imagine.

Bella did something then that none of us expected. She let go of Renesmee and stepped back.

"Ness, go stand by Jacob." I told her, calmly. "Now."

"Why?" Nessie asked.

"Because I know she'll hate herself if she hurts you by accident." I told her. "Just trust me."

"Listen to him, Ness." Jacob said. "Give her a minute to calm down so she can explain." He obviously knew why her reaction was as violent as it was. I would have to pry specifics out of him later.

Bella took several long, slow, deep breaths with her head down and her fists clenched at her side. Her rage receded to a manageable level and I didn't let up on the calm. She needed to be relatively sane for the duration of our stay in Forks. She knew that and was trying.

"I'm sorry about that." She murmured. "It's just that …" Her rage spiked again. "Edward said something similar when he left me after I turned 18." She took a deep breath and bit back a roar. "This added to the way he reacted when we first …" She closed her eyes. "Found out I was pregnant. I'd love nothing more to rip him in to pieces so small that a fire would be unnecessary."

That was quite a feat, actually. I'd tried it. It didn't work so well. You still had to burn the brain and the heart. Funny how it worked out.

Nessie looked at me, confused. "How he reacted?"

I sighed. I didn't want to tell her this, but she had a right to know. "Your father wanted Bella to have an abortion because you were an unknown entity to us. We'd never heard of Damphiers before you. It got to the point to where he offered to let her have pups with Jake if she really wanted kids that bad."

"Mind you at that time, we thought we had feelings for each other." Jake murmured to her. "Because you were still inside her."

Nessie shuddered, disgust running through her and causing her to shudder. "Bad thought. Bad, Bad thought. No more on that, please."

I nodded. "That was, until he heard your thoughts. Then he became the doting father you remember."

Nessie gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "Mama …"

Bella shook her head. "It's nothing a hunt won't fix, Ness. I'm just a little … messed up because of recent events. I'll be fine. Sam, we'll stay in our territory. Peter and Charlotte won't be hunting anywhere near here. I just want to see my family."

The enormous black wolf nodded and turned to the other three. The four of them vanished into the threes.

Jacob sighed. "Sorry about them. They're only a few months in. His pack. Apparently the gene won't go dormant until we start having kids without vampires around. Besides, Ness is Damphire and living on the rez."

"It reacts to her?" I asked.

Jake nodded. "Yeah. No one thought, because she's half human …"

"The tribe doesn't like me." Nessie sighed. "Jake and I were thinking about joining you."

Bella's eyes widened. "Ness, I'd love nothing more, but what I'm involved in is too dangerous for you." She was selfless as ever, wasn't she? To bad she sounded like her husband. Her daughter was half vampire. Probably not as effective as a vampire, but still pretty strong.

"Bells, you sound like _him_." Jacob said. "He said that to you a lot. Especially about us."

Bella sighed. She knew he was right. Edward had been hell bent on protecting her from even humans. He was just controlling that way. I could feel the guilt run through her, undercurrent to the emotional turmoil she was in.

I sighed. "Ness, why don't you go collect Charlie and take him to the old house. We'll meet you there."

Nessie frowned. "I want to spend time with Mama, though. I can go hunting with her."

"I understand that, but there are some things your mother and I need to talk about."

Nessie sighed. "Fine, whatever." She walked over and kissed Bella on the cheek. "I'll see you soon. I know my Mama is in there somewhere, no matter what that bastard did to you. I know you can still find her."

She and Jake walked hand in hand after Jacob gave Bella a kiss on the forehead. I turned to Peter and Charlotte, who had faded into the background automatically. They let me take control of the situation out of instinct and training.

"You two go ahead to the house and get it opened up and semi habitable." I ordered. "I'm going to take Bella hunting."

"Aye, sir." Peter said with a smirk. He and Charlotte took the car and left. He loved to irritate me. He'd been doing for the last century and a half. The prick.

"I don't need a babysitter." Bella snapped, pulling away from my arm. She knew what contact did and wanted to feel her own emotions. We'd reached the understanding long ago, after her change and we could finally be friends. I didn't manipulate her unless she was on the brink of going out of control or she asked. Period. If she pulled away, I dropped it.

I sighed. "Bella, I'm not trying to baby-sit you." I told her. "You're not a newborn; I don't need to. I want to talk to you about what happened the other day."

We started into the trees, keeping wary of the wolves that were patrolling the boarder. We would move inland once we were away from town. Wouldn't want any accidents with a half crazed Bella and a not so stable Jasper.

"What about it?" She asked. "We kissed, Jasper. We're both consenting adults well over the age of 18 and without mates. Carlisle is just a prick."

I smirked. "be that as it may," I said, spinning her to face me. "It was a little more than a kiss, Bella. You know that."

She huffed and crossed her arms. "What's your point, Jazz? I've been sexually deprived for a year and a half. I'd just come back from an instinct induced haze. I had just drank about four gallons of blood. I was horny, you were male. See the connection? Honestly, at this point, I'm not worried about anything like that until after this bullshit with the Volturi is over."

I smirked, feeling the lust and lies coursing through her. "I call bullshit." I murmured huskily, backing her into a tree. "You know as well as I do that that wasn't just instinct and a blood haze. What we had with Edward and Alice was peanuts compared to what happened in that room." I leaned in and nipped at her neck. "You'd love for it to happen again. I'm not going to lie to you, Isabella. To be quite blunt, I want you and I intend to have you."

She shook her head. "Good luck with that, Jasper." She slipped under my arm and darted off.

I growled and punched a tree, sending crashing to the ground. The little novia had no idea just who she was playing with. She had no idea just how determined the Major could be. I'd have her, willingly, before our little campaign was over. There was no doubt in my mind about that one.

I did a little hunting of my own to blow off some steam before I headed back. She knew it wouldn't be long before Charlie arrived.

* * *

BPOV

That presumptuous prick. How dare he? So I was attracted to him for a moment. So fucking what? That didn't give him the right to treat me like I'm his mate.

I wasn't going to sleep with him just because I was alone. I had other problems to worry about.

I quickly took down a doe and started back. I had to tell Charlie that I was okay, but wouldn't be in contact for a while. I shook my head as I looked around me. I'd grown to love these trees, this forest. They had been the site of so many turning points in my life. The forest was where I'd first lost Edward, and then gained him for what I thought was forever. I'd met my first human killers here, and defended my family from the worst. These woods had witnessed the birth of my daughter and the death of my childhood. These trees would always be home to me. So many memories…

I ghosted back to the house to find Jake's pack, Sue, Billy, and Charlie with what was now my coven.

"Bella?" Charlie asked. "Are you alright? Jasper said you were in some trouble."

I shot a glare at Jasper. Great. Make him worry. That's what I wanted to do. Prick. He just shrugged, making me want to punch him in the teeth.

"I'm fine, Dad. For the most part, at least." I walked over and hugged him. "Unfortunately, I won't be here long. I've got some things to do that are going to take me away for a while."

"Need to know?" He asked, wincing at the thought.

"Unfortunately." I told him. "But I'm doing it so I can come back here and know my family is safe."

Charlie sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I don't like it."

"You don't have to." I told him. "But this is something I have to do?"

"For Edward?" Charlie asked, warily.

I clenched my teeth and bit back a growl. For once, I was grateful for the shot of calm from Jasper as he rested a hand on my shoulder and hung his head. I realized then that he had been betrayed as bad as I had. I glanced at him and he squeezed my shoulder, feeling my apology.

"We're doing this _because_ of Edward." Jasper cut in. "And Alice. They left us, Charlie, and handed themselves and their loyalty to our enemy."

I nodded. Saying enough without saying too much. Charlie wouldn't understand but much more put his life in danger. I couldn't do that to him.

Billy leveled his gaze on me. "You're going to need my boys?"

"Only if they want to." I told him. "I would never willingly put them in danger, Billy, you know this. But they block Alice and I can't give Aro any warning."

Billy nodded. "Just think of the consequences of your actions, Bella"

I nodded. "We'll talk about it more at the meeting." I told him.

Charlie sighed. "Call me once in a while to let me know you're okay, Bells. I worry about you."

"Of course, dad." I responded.

Charlie, Billy, and Sue rose and left. Jake and Nessie stayed with us, along with the rest of Jake's pack.

I sighed as Twilight descended on the Olympic Forest. I stepped out onto the porch and leaned on the banister. It was peaceful. The calm before the shit-storm that I was stirring up, I supposed, but it was nice all the same. I closed my eyes, listening to the symphony of forest life around me. I heard Embry pace through the edge of the threes and cross paths with Leah as they patrolled.

"It takes me back." Peter said as he joined me. "To the nights before the last time we faced them."

I smiled and turned to look at him. "Why did you come that time?"

He frowned. "We were already headed here when we crossed paths with the Major and 8-ball. I knew something big was coming, and that the outcome would change the vampire world forever. That something was Nessie, Bells. The Volturi is the single most powerful coven in the world. The Southern Warlords wouldn't touch 32 if their lives depended on it, and often it does. They think that we're a threat individually, the large covens. But they've pissed off a lot of other covens over the millennia that they've been around. The idea that so much interwoven bad blood would band together to oppose them is completely outside their thought process. That's why you and Nessie are so important to the success of this campaign."

I glared at him. "Don't call it a campaign. It makes it sound like we want to rule the vampire world."

"That leads me to my next point." Peter told me. "What are we going to do once their gone? Like it or not, they are the governing body. Without them, havoc is wrought."

I smirked. "I'm going to quote Jazz on this one. _The same way the colonials did_."

Peter smirked at me. "A democratic, worldwide, vampire government. Interesting concept."

"We only need someone to enforce the rules." I told him. "We don't want to be exposed, and anything that would constitute an exposure risk needs to be eradicated. Honestly, I think the Volturi would just find new management, they could keep the guard. Just not Chelsea. She needs to die. Caius and Aro, too. But everyone else would be good."

"Makes you a bit of a hypocrite, you know." Peter said. "I know you want nothing more than to tell your father what you are."

"My father and I have been immersed in the supernatural world for longer than we knew." I told Peter. "Since the day he and Billy became friends." I sighed and shook my head. "I know its wrong, but we need to get rid of the corrupt bastards that think they own the world."

"It's like the old adage." Peter said, smiling. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

I laughed. Really laughed. For the first time since I'd come out of the darkness, I felt something other than rage. "As long as we don't put the Romanians back in charge."

Peter laughed with me. "Definitely not." He sighed and shook his head. "So what's going on with you and the Major?"

"Nothing." I said, automatically.

"If you say so." Peter said. "Just remember, Bella, that you're both broken. It wasn't just you that got left. Sometimes it helps to find some form of comfort in someone else, even if it's just superficial." He left me alone and all I felt was irritation. That fucker was annoying as hell. I wanted to punch him, too. I repressed it.

"Mama?"

I turned to see Renesmee standing in the door, dressed in only a pair of pajama pants and a tank top. Her copper curls fell freely down her back. My baby girl was a beauty.

"Hey, Ness, why aren't you asleep?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Jake isn't holding me."

I smiled. "You're more like me than you realize." I held my hand out to her and she walked into the circle of my arms. I held her to me, savoring the warmth.

"Mama, do you feel incomplete without Daddy?" She asked. "Cause that's how I feel when Jake is gone. Like part of me is missing."

I smiled at the normality of the whole situation. A mother and daughter talking about boys, late at night, on the front porch. It doesn't get much more domestic. Why did Edward want to give this up?

"It's because of the imprint, baby. He's your soul mate." I kissed the top of her head, loving our moment. I would miss this when she finally caught up to her body. "And no, baby, I don't feel it without your father here. Knowing what I know now, I'm beginning to wonder if we were ever really mates. I loved him. A small part of me probably always will. He was my first love, after all, and the father of my child. We share some really terrific memories … but …"

"But the damage is too great." She murmured, burrowing deeper within the circle of my embrace. "He hurt you. He hurt us. This is unforgivable."

"Exactly." I told her.

"You're still not yourself." She murmured, sleep coloring her voice.

"Maybe not." I said, stroking her hair. "But I'll never go the way of the lamb again."

"Good." She whispered. "Be happy, Mama. Be yourself." her breathing evened and she was asleep.

I lifted her into my arms and carried her to Carlisle and Esme's old room. I lay her on the bed and, just as I had when she was so much smaller, I put her hand to my cheek, and watched her dream.

_She was in a house with Jake. Rose and Em were visiting. Jasper and I lived there. So did the rest of Jake's pack and their imprints. We were happy. A copper skinned boy ran out of the house, his brown eyes alight with joy as Ness picked him up and he called her Mama. He turned to me, with a huge toothy smile, and launched himself into my arms. Part vampire, part shape-shifter, part human. He called me Nana._

I put her hand down and rose from where I had sat down on the bed. I turned and saw Jake standing there in the doorway. He pulled me into his arms and held me while I sobbed. He stroked my hair and soothed me as he did when I was human. My best friend. My personal Sun. I loved him for it.

"It'll be okay, Bella." He murmured. "We'll make it okay for her. Let her live the life she dreams of."

I nodded and pulled away from him. "How often does she dream about a boy."

"Every night, why?" Jake asked.

"I'll bet six grand your first child is a girl." I said smirking.

"Fine." Jake said. "I'll take that bet. Just to up the ante a little bit, I'll put seven on a boy."

"You're on." I said.

"I'll put ten on twins." Peter said randomly as he walked past to Rose and Em's old room, that he was now sharing with Char.

Jake and I laughed and I kissed him on the cheek. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow's important. Call the others in, too. The vamps will take watch."

Jake nodded and moved to stick his head out the window and call the others. I moved downstairs and followed Jasper outside.

"We'll keep the perimeter closer." He said as Quil loped up, having been the furthers out. "Easier to defend if necessary."

I nodded. "I think we should be okay if we stay inside the tree line. Put Peter and Char out back."

Jasper nodded as we heard an upstairs window open and a muffled thump as the other two landed. I sighed and leaned against the banister again. It was times like this I missed sleep. We didn't physically get tired, but emotional and mental exhaustion was prevalent. With no mate to distract me from my worries, I begged for oblivion.

My ears picked up the sound of Char's giggle and shook my head. "He can't even keep it in his pants when on patrol."

Jasper nodded. "Peter's a true horndog. He's been like this for a century and a half, so there's no changing it."

I sighed and closed my eyes. I could feel the alterations in my shield. It was now dual layered, physical and mental, though I had to consciously use the physical one where I was always protected by the mental one.

I took a deep breath and both shields flew out to cover our property. Nothing was getting to us this night and my kids could rest in peace.

"Impressive." Jasper said. I felt the physical shield cocoon me, much as it did in Michigan." I nodded once but offered no other response.

Jasper sighed and sat down against the wall. It was a very human move, but I guess after so long, moving like a humans was second nature to them. I knew I was stock still, leaning over the rail.

"How much training do you have?" Jasper asked out of the blue.

"I remember everything you've ever taught me, Jasper, don't worry." I told him. I didn't want to talk. I wanted to bask in the peace that came with my freedom.

To be still. To be silent. These were things that I was never allowed. Alice, always on the move. Shop after shop in her endless quest for more. Edward, in his never ending quest to hear my thoughts, even after I gave it to him. He'd wanted me to learn to keep it down so he could always hear me. Manipulative Bastard.

Jasper, it seemed, finally understood. He remained quiet the rest of the night.

As day broke, the wolves began to stir. Keeping my shield firmly in place, I made my way to the kitchen. I found it fully stocked with fresh food. I smiled and set about making them breakfast. Before I'd even finished my first batch of eggs, they were gathered around the table, fully awake and loud as ever. Apparently, I hadn't lost my ability to cook in my change. This made me happy.

Jasper, Peter, and Charlotte came in and stood around while I cooked. I felt domestic. It was a feeling I enjoyed and savored. Soon my life would be chaos.

The biscuits were done.

* * *

JPOV

Desired raged all through the night. I wanted her. Not just because peter was plowing Char into the dirt, but because I honestly wanted the little female before me.

Watching her feed the dogs was magic. She gained a sort of maternal glow as she handled them. It was as if she was the pack mother. I guess, in a way, she was. Jake was alpha and Nessie was his mate.

"So what are we doing?" Jacob asked as the dishes were done by Embry and Seth.

"First, we're meeting with Sam's pack and the elders." Bella said. "I want to negotiate a treaty for the Whitlock Coven. Separate from the Cullen treaty."

Jake nodded. "Will that include Ness?"

I sighed. "That's to be seen. I think it will. It depends on where the lines fall when we get to that point." I told him. "It also depends on how the lines run after we've told you everything."

Confusion reigned. I shook my head and threw a tidal wave of calm as the emotional chaos came to a head.

"Why us?" Leah asked.

"Because that midget 8-ball can't see you." Peter piped up. "Our plans are safe on your ears."

Jacob caught up before the others. "You can bounce ideas and make decisions without alerting the enemy because of us."

Bella nodded.

"That's the idea, anyway." I added. "We don't know what she's seen so far and we don't know what she'll see when we leave here. We do know that as of this second, she's blind to our movements."

Quil was smirking. "So you need bodyguards?"

"Embry joined his laughter until Bella walked over and rested her hands on their shoulders. "Boys, do you really think it's wise to piss off the mother of your alpha female?" she asked them sweetly.

"No, Ma'am." They whimpered.

"Good. Then keep your taunts to yourself, or I'll let Charlotte have fun kicking your asses around the back yard like a hacky-sack, got it?" She told them. "Remember, New Bella has a new temper, worse than that of a newborn."

"Yes, Ma'am," they said.

I smirked as she walked away from them. "Well handled." I told her.

"Thanks." She said, smiling. "Jake, can you send word down to the rez and for the other pack and the elders to meet us at the border?"

Jake nodded. "Sure. Quil."

"On it, boss." the young wolf said, leaving quickly.

I shot him a curious look and Jake shrugged. "It gives him a chance to pop in and see Clair. She's been giving her mom a hard time if she doesn't see him at least once a day. We'll all relish in the day that she turns eighteen."

"And how." Leah sighed. She leaned against the counter. "Speaking of coming of age." She smirked. "Ness, why don't you tell your mom about your visitor?"

Nessie rolled her eyes. "Nahuel showed up."

"Bella smiled. "Did you explain to him, honey?"

Nessie nodded and rested her forehead on Jake's shoulder. "He was said, but I think he understands."

I shook my head. We knew years ago that he would come snooping around at some point. He knew how long it would take her to grow up. I checked the clock. "Bella, we should move out. We can't stay here longer than necessary lest Aro grows suspicious."

Bella nodded. "Jake? Lead, the way." She said.

Jake rose and the pack moved as one. Once outside, all but Jake disappeared into the trees, coming back in wolf from. Nessie and Jake held hands as we started through the trees, leading the way. I felt Bella's shield retract and nodded to her. We didn't need to give anyone more information than necessary. The fact that her shield had grown wasn't something that needed to be made public yet.

When we stopped, everyone took their sides. All wolves stood with the Quileutes and Ness with us. Quill joined us and fell in behind Embry. Leah would always be beta, but the other three spots changed.

Billy sat in his chair with a wry smile on his lips. "I feel like we should be in a more traditional dress."

Bella laughed. "Spare me the nightmare, please." She told him.

Billy smiled before falling into his position as Chief. "Why have you called this meeting, Cold One?"

Bella looked at me and nodded towards Billy. "You're coven leader, Major, not me. Treaty time."

I nodded. "I've come to negotiate a treaty between my coven and your people." I told him.

Billy nodded. His face and emotions were grim. "Your coven mates have red eyes. In this land, that is certain death."

"Peter and Charlotte are special." I told him. "They are not the mindless killers you take them for. They choose their meals from a selective pool. Those that are terminally ill and those who commit crimes against humanity."

Billy nodded. "What are the terms of this treaty you seek?"

I took a deep, unnecessary breath to steady myself and I felt Isabella's hand claim my own, giving me strength. Nessie was on my other side and slightly behind, clinging to my shirt. Instinct ruled us. We did not cower, but we knew the bravado we needed to finish this so we could move on to business.

"We ask for your alliance in our present endeavor. We ask for safe passage through your land under the stipulation we remain away from town. We ask that you protect our human family that resides in the city Forks, just East of here." I threw that in for Bella and felt her relief and gratitude. "Lastly, we ask that our youngest be allowed her mate. As Chief and Council, you have the final say." Though I had perfect recall, it had been some time since I'd heard the story of how Carlisle had set forth the treaty he had with the wolves. Some of what he was saying, I was repeating verbatim, though I'm not sure Billy knew this.

"This is a steep price you are asking." Billy said. "We have stipulations of our own."

"Of course." I replied.

"As far east as Seattle, north to Vancouver, and south to Hoquiam, we ask that your traditionalist friends not hunt. This is the area my people protect. This in exchange for your second demand."

I didn't like it. It left us at a tactical disadvantage to have them so far out a couple times a month.

"Major, we can make big game trips at the same time and that will leave our friends to defend their own territory." Bella murmured.

"Accepted." I told Billy. My little strategist was already weighing options.

"In return for our alliance, we ask yours." Billy continued. "Should we ever face an enemy we cannot face, in my lifetime or my descendants, you will come."

"Accepted." I responded immediately. "However, to your advantage we would like to add that no wolf be forced to join our fight nor called a coward for not going so. We recognize that your protectors have mates, and loyalty to your people first. That will come before a call to allegiance."

That threw them for a loop.

"Accepted." Billy responded. "The human you request protection for is already within the folds our the Quileute people and is therefore under our protection already. Charles Swan is safe. As for the mate to your youngest, he long ago gave up any claim he had to Chieftain and having imprinted on your female went rouge. His decisions are his own. The treaty we have set forth is with the People of the Quileute Tribe and the pack under Sam Uley."

This shocked the hell out of not only me, but Jacob. His pack moved away from the tribe as if by force. Billy looked at Jacob. "You know I love you. You're my son. Sue loves Leah and Seth, but your imprint is Damphire, Jake. That makes you one of their coven."

"What about Clair and Quil?" Jacob asked.

"She will be allowed to see him under the supervision of the Uley pack. When she turns 18, it becomes her choice. The Elders have already discussed this." Billy told him.

Jake nodded and rested a hand on Quil's neck when the larger wolf whimpered. "I understand."

Billy turned to me. "I, William Black, Chief of the Quileute People, Set forth this treaty with …"

"Jasper Whitlock." I told him. "Leader of the Whitlock Coven."

Billy nodded and reached out his hand. I shook it and felt something flash over me. Bella watched Billy with a suspicion rolling off of her.

"Instinct will now tell you and your coven where the treaty line is. The only ones unaffected will be the wolves as they are Quileute blood and have rights to it." Billy said. He looked at the sky. "How much longer are you staying?"

"Until this weekend." I told him.

He nodded. "Meet us on First Beach at sunset. We can make plans then, and you can tell us about this endeavor of yours."

Why was he putting it off? I turned to Jacob, who was also staring at the sky. Jake caught my eye and smirked. "The sun is coming out. We're in the middle of a road. You do the math."

The sun broke through the clouds and the four full vampires present broke into a full sparkle.

Fuck my life.

We left to prepare for the meeting. We needed a battle strategy. We needed to recoup from the emotional blow dealt to the wolves. I needed to get my hands on Bella.

Fuck my life.

* * *

A/n: You guys rock. Seriously. I love seeing the response. Just the sheer numbers is completely mindblowing to me. I hope you liked the chapter. I love hearing from you. I will see you all next time. I'll try to update more frequently. It drives me nuts that I can't get them out any faster. I will try.

leggy freak003


	6. Chapter 5

A/n: I'm back! It's been a few weeks since I updated. They were hectic as hell. I had teeth removed, and then school started back up, and then I had birthday parties out the ass, and then my ex decided he wants to give it another go. It's just been a really long, hectic month. And it's not over yet. Oi. Oh well. I'm back, and I have an update for you. So, lets get this party started.

D/c: Twilight isn't mine, nor are any related characters, places, or events. The plot of this particular story, however, is mine. No infringement intended.

Chapter 5

* * *

BPOV

Are they really that callous? They would really turn their backs on their own just because of who they fell in love with? Gods, Billy pissed me off.

We arrived back at the house and settled into the living room. Peter and Jasper remained standing while Char and I took the chairs. Jake and Ness curled up on the love seat and the rest of the wolves filtered in after phasing to human form and getting dressed.

My emotions got the better of me. "I can't believe the Elders. How dare they?"

"Bella, stop." Jake said, holding a sobbing Nessie. "No, it's not fair, but we knew when we formed this pack that Sam would remain in the seat of power in the tribe. I didn't want to be Chief. Sam did. Hell, I didn't want a pack. I was content to be a lone wolf. They made the choice."

"Jake's right." Quil said from where he sat at my feet. "I'll be fine, Ma. What's ten years to the never aging?"

I smiled when he called me 'Ma'. "Are you sure, Quil?"

He nodded and nuzzled my leg. Seth and Embry nodded as well.

Leah sighed. "So what's the game plan? You've established a treaty. You're safe from Sam's pack, but doesn't this mean that you're in trouble if those bloodsuckers you're after come after you?"

Jasper shook his head. "No, we're not. The whole point of the treaty was to protect us. If the Cullens return here, we can move to safety. If the Volturi chase us here, they're going to send Alice and Edward, whether to test their loyalty or to throw us off our game, they're the ones that will be sent. They're still bound by the Cullen Treaty. Alice in name and Edward was there. They can't cross the line without starting a war which will force Sam's hand. We'll be safe past their border. Since Alice can't see you and Bella can shield you all as long as one of you is under her shield …"

He left his sentence unfinished. Everyone knew the meaning. If they came after us here, and passed the border, we wouldn't stop their death. We would help bring it about.

I didn't say a word. I felt the same way and Sam would appreciate the opportunity. Jake was grinning. I knew why. He and Edward had a long standing rivalry. While I thought that it had ended in the last fight with the Volturi, I knew that with his last contact with Nessie, Edward had brought new life and meaning to their fight. You didn't fuck with the imprints. Ever.

Jasper's voice brought me back to the conversation at hand. "Peter, have you heard anything?" Jasper asked.

Peter shook his head. "Not about 8-ball and mindfuck, no. I do know that we're going to have to split from here, though. I think Char and I should head north. Gather the nomads from Canada and Alaska."

Jasper ran his hands through his hair. "You're right. You'll want to be sure to drop into Denali and check on them."

Peter saluted. Jasper turned to me. "What do you think, Bella?"

I thought for a moment. "I think for the time being, we'll move light." I told him. "One bag each and a bike. It'll give us a valid reason for staying covered in the south."

Jake and Jasper nodded, but I continued. "We're also going to send one of the kids North with Peter and Char so they can stay hidden as well as keep contact with us without the risk of being overheard."

All eyes were on me now. Jasper looked thoughtful. "Quil, can you stay here?" He asked. "That way you can stay close to Clair as well as keep us informed on what's going on here. If anyone comes snooping around."

Quil looked between Jasper, Jake, and myself. "Sure. Just be sure to tell me when the fighting is about to start so I can be there."

Jasper nodded. "Of course. The two that don't go with Peter and Char will be coming with us?" He asked, looking at me.

I nodded. "Strategically, your telepathy will be an advantage. We can leave one of you with our more important elements so we can stay in touch. I don't mean to be callous, but since you have no imprints, it helps."

Embry sighed. "You're really going to do this? Take on these Volturi bloodsuckers?"

"Yes." Nessie said, surprising us. "You remember the last time we encountered them. They're power hungry. They don't deserve to be in charge. It's a matter of justice in our world. Every supernatural creature, be they Damphire, Shifter, Werewolf, or Vampire, is supposedly under their control. I remember Daddy telling me that the Volturi had nearly hunted the true Werewolves to extinction because of Caius. If they had their way, you would all be under their control as well. They thought they had the right to pass judgment on my existence. They need to be ended."

"Renesmee is right." Peter said. "We may not need to take out the whole Volturi, but Aro and Caius have to go. They've lived too long and are becoming complacent. Power hungry. They're always looking for a reason to fight. They'll do anything to prove that they're the most powerful beings on earth. And they are."

"It's a matter of principle, now." Jasper said. "Not just what they did to our family. Looking back, their crimes are too great to ignore. It's time to fight back."

"What gives us the power to go against them?" Leah asked.

"We're the only ones with enough balls to do it." I snorted.

"That's about the sum of it." Jasper agreed. "We're the only ones so far that have had to guts to go through with something like this. You saw what happened when they came for the Cullens. Even Bella and I had to back down because neither of us had the will or strength to do anything at the time."

"By the time it was all over, I was ready to jump in a pyre." I told them. "Not only did Edward tear me down, but Aro then had to gall to patronize me by telling me that I was welcomed in the Guard as well; when everyone, Alice especially, quite obviously didn't want me. The only sympathetic one in the group was Marcus."

"Knowing all of this, I just have one question for you all," Jasper told them. "It's really very simple. By all accounts, this is a suicide mission. If it fails, we'd all be better off dead anyway." He rested a hand on my shoulder. "So I ask: Are you with us?"

"Feel absolutely free to say no if you don't want to do this." I told them. "We're not going to hold it against you and you will still count as part of our coven."

"I am, whether my pack remains or not." Jacob said. "Bella is my best friend; Nessie is my life. I won't stand by and watch them fight alone. If being with Ness means being part of this coven, then so be it. I'll defer to you, Jasper."

Leah sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked every inch the bitch she was, making the words coming out of her mouth a complete shock. "I may not like you leeches, but I swore my allegiance to Jake and where he goes, I follow." She bowed her head to Jasper and I, shocking the hell out of me. "I'm in."

Quil grinned up at me. "Just call me and I'll come running. I already told you that."

Seth grinned as well. "No problems here. I may not look like much, but I'll do my best."

Leah growled at him, ready to pounce. "You're a little pain." She yelped, launching herself at her brother.

"Take it outside." I told them, sounding very much like Esme. I turned to Embry. "If you don't want to, you can stay with Quil."

Embry gave me a goofy smile. "No worries. I'll fight. It's been a while since I've been able to sink my teeth into a vamp. I'm looking forward to it."

Jasper nodded and watched Leah and Seth in the yard. "Good. We just need to figure out where we're doing this at."

"It needs to be secluded." Charlotte said. "Lifeless and away from humans. Just like in the wars, we'll need a desert area."

I sighed and rose from my chair to watch the sun as it fell behind the trees. "There aren't many places like that anymore. Humans have grown too close. Even Forks is near a National Park. Olympic Forest." I turned to watch the room as Leah and Seth came back in.

Nessie's eyes widened. "Mama, that's it." She said. "Death Valley. The only people that go there are tourists and in the summer, not even that. This way, we don't have to transport everyone over seats. The only other option would be Egypt or one of the Middle Eastern countries."

I looked to Jasper. He was nodding. "She's right. If we're calling in the warlords and their newborns, transport isn't an option. It has to be here, on our soil."

I smirked in return. "They'll be drawn to the large gathering of vampires. Especially since Alice will see the warlords moving North. I have no intentions of leaving one of the kids there. Too dangerous."

Jasper waved it off and I could see the wheels turning in his head. Peter and Char were thinking hard as well. Jasper sighed. "I don't have a choice. I'll have to call in all outstanding favors and debts. Anyone I ever struck a deal with or spared against orders."

Peter scratched the back of his head. "That's a lot, Major. You had hell of a defiant streak cause of the empathy."

Jasper nodded. "The question is how many of them are still alive."

I was confused. I knew about Jasper's past, but there were obviously things he neglected to divulge. I smiled to myself as I moved to make lunch, with a now stress free Leah at my side. I patted Seth on the cheek and squeezed Embry's shoulder as I passed.

My reactions with the wolves were all new. There was a new synchronicity that wasn't there before. Leah was rooting through the deep freezer when I made it to the kitchen. Even my reactions to her were different. I had noticed, but never paid attention. My reactions had been changing for a while. Ever since Jake imprinted on Nessie. Edward's hadn't though. Jasper's had.

"My mom has been gradually stocking this place as it seemed that Jake and Ness would be moving off the Rez before you guys came back." Leah said, throwing me several bags of chicken, all of which I caught with ease. Vampire reflexes were great. "She knew we'd find a new mother hen to watch us, I guess." She faced me. "You realize what's been happening right? More so now that you've come back than before you left."

"No." I said. "Explain it."

"Since we're no longer bound to the Tribe, and our Alpha has accepted his role in your coven," She said, "We're now bound to the coven. Because of the Roles you place, Jasper as leader or father, you as the mother, so to speak, those are the roles you now take in our eyes." She sighed. "Peter and Charlotte are even falling into it as well, as a brother and sister, or aunt and uncle. It kinda depends on how she and Jake start seeing them." She looked up at me. "Am I making any sense?"

I stared owlishly at her for a moment. "Not a bit."

Leah sighed. "How do I put this … Jake and Nessie look at you as a mother figure. Jake also sees you as a best friend, but that's outside of the pack bond. Because, under the pack bond, our alpha male and alpha female see you as a maternal figure, the rest of us are going to start seeing you the same way and treating you like that, understand?"

I nodded. "I got that part. Quil just called me 'ma' not even an hour ago."

Leah nodded. "It's a part of the tribal magic. Your reactions are becoming second nature, to reassure us and care for us. Without even asking, you got up to cook us food."

I nodded again. "Okay."

Leah ran a hand through her hair, pushing it out of her eyes and tying it back into a short pony tail with the hair tie around her wrist. "It's also going to affect Jasper, Peter, and Charlotte. Not to the extent it will you, but to a degree. We've never had this happen before, and this is all a theory that Sam, Billy, and Jake came up with ages ago, but so far, it's all be proven right."

I nodded once more, starting to feel like a bobble head. I didn't know what to say to this. I hadn't even noticed when I started referring to them as my kids. Looking back, it started long before my brief stint into insanity, but because my instincts were running so high and had been for some time, all of the effects of the bond were becoming stronger. They were my kids. Period.

Leah dropped to her knees in front of me a moment later, shocking the living hell out of me. What the hell was it with this chick and freaking me out today. And then she opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry for the way I've treated you in the past." She said. "I have my reasons for hating leeches, the Cullens in particular, but I shouldn't have taken them out on the girl that was simply trapped by their charm. The girl that would make my alpha whole, and become the outside mother of my pack."

If this were an anime, there would be a line of dots behind my head. Seriously, I was confused as fuck. She was apologizing to me for treating me like shit. While understandable, it was completely out of character.

And what the fuck did she mean by 'outside mother'?

"Leah, get the fuck up." I told her. She rose. "Hon, I forgave you the day you joined Jake's pack. At the time, it wasn't your intention, but you helped save my daughter's life."

Now she looked stunned. The young woman she truly was blazed through as her shoulders dropped in relief.

We turned to cook the chicken, but now I was curious. "Why do you hate the Cullens?"

She sighed. "Even though I'm over it now, they took Sam from me. If it hadn't been for them, we would have never phased and Sam and I would have stayed together. Had a family. In a way, I can see where that supermodel Leech is coming from. Frozen forever, never moving forward, and watching imprints bloom around me … It makes me wonder … and want…"

In that moment, I understood Leah that much more, and by extension Rosalie. Both wanted the 'white picket fence' life I so nearly had. By rights, they should despise me for that alone. They only wanted their loving husband and 2.5 kids. Carlisle denied them both in one form or another.

And then it struck me.

The James Incident. While I was on the floor in pain, Carlisle had the control to remove the venom himself, easily. He was either going to let me change, which was his first choice, or give Edward the strength to do it later.

It all made sense to me now. Edward and Alice weren't the only manipulators in that twisted family. Leah may have been a side effect of wrong place, right time, but Rosalie and I were no accident. Both of us were changed for his prodigal first son's purposes.

"Finally figured it out, did you?" Charlotte asked, walking into the kitchen.

I turned to her as Leah and I continued to prepare the chicken. "Why didn't you warn anyone?"

"The Major knew all along." Charlotte said. "I'm sure he has his reasons for not interfering, but Carlisle, for all his self righteousness, is a bigger monster than Aro in some ways. He's simply convinced himself that he's the good guy. He's convinced most of his family of the same thing. Even Rosalie hasn't figured it out yet. Everything he did, every step he made, was to create his idea of the perfect family. In that was finding a mate for Edward. Originally it was only supposed to be him, Esme, Edward, and Edward's mate, but when Rosalie didn't work and he had to change Emmett for her, he continued the search. Alice was only allowed into the family in hopes that she would come to love Edward more than Jasper. Eventually, the plan was to throw the Major out of the family. Nothing went the way he wanted it to, until you, but by then the coven was too big and he had to bow down to Aro and kiss his shoes."

I nodded, contemplative. Carlisle was a sick bastard, but given the time period he was born in, his mindset is understandable. "Are we delusional in our goals, Char? Are we really doing what's right?" I asked. It was an important question. One we needed to keep in mind throughout this whole crusade.

"I think so." Charlotte said. "It's like Peter said: Aro and Caius are after nothing but power and war. In the end, we'll show them what a vampire war really is."

I nodded again, simply for lack of a better response, and turned my focus to the spicy chicken I was preparing.

Carlisle's sins could wait. Aro first.

* * *

JPOV

I smirked as Bella raced through a myriad of emotions. Some vindictive, some not. All females eventually retreated to the kitchen. I didn't mind. The more distance I had from Bella, the better. All I wanted to do when I was near her was get my hands on her. Most ideas that came through my head weren't for audiences.

With the treaty now in place we were safe. Edward and Alice couldn't touch us because they were bound by name to the Cullen Treaty. I wasn't. I tilted my head to the side, ignoring Peter's smirk and the quizzical looks from the wolves. Since we were here, we should use the proximity to contact Jenks. He could deal with our divorce papers and be done with it.

Bella called for lunch and Peter and I followed for the hell of it. Why not?

I wrapped my arms around Bella. It was one of my more tame wants. "We've got some time before the meeting. I was thinking we could use it to place a call to a certain lawyer of ours to deal with all of that."

Bella smirked. "Agreed." She told me. "New identities as well. I want Cullen off my name. Permanently."

"Likewise." Nessie popped up. "I don't want anything to do with my father."

I nodded. "No problem." It would be easier now that she wasn't aging for us to keep her in an identity. "Any requests?"

"I'm going back to Swan." Bella said. "Full stop."

Well, that hurt. I understood, I think, but I was disappointed. She didn't want to take the coven name, my name. I looked over at Peter and Char. "Are you two good, or do we need to renew?"

"Do I look 40 to you?" Peter asked, glaring at me. He struck a pose and everyone laughed. The goofy fucker knew how to break the tension.

Bella shook her head and turned to me. "We might as well get it over with now. They'll get the papers in a few days and we'll be free."

I pulled away from her and crossed my arms over my chest, leaning back on the counter and smirking at her. "Free is sounding pretty good, too."

She rolled her eyes and checked the clock. It seemed to be all we were doing these days. I stepped away from the counter and nodded for Isabella to follow me. We needed to talk to Jenks about her divorce papers. It would be a whole day in his office later this week, but it was necessary for both of us.

I turned to her as we reached the porch. "Why don't you and Ness take the Coven name?"

"Why, was it a blow to your ego, cowboy?" She sneered. I growled and she rolled her eyes. "Well, no offense meant, big boy, but Bella Cullen, Nee Swan, hasn't died yet. When she does plausibly, I'll take the name, until then I'm just going to go back to Swan. Ness doesn't legally exist yet, so she can and will take the coven name. She moved to lean against the rail, as usual.

I nodded. That made more sense than the 900 reasons that had ran through my mind. Soon, we would have to fake a believable death for Bella. That was going to be difficult without Alice to get me a body.

I pulled out my phone and moved to mirror her position. "We can easily have Jenks post a death certificate."

She smiled. "At the same time I'm sending my husband divorce papers? The papers aren't just legal, Jasper, they're symbolic. I don't think the asshole truly understands that we're over. He's left me, Jasper. Twice now. There won't be a third time."

I sighed. I understood. Better than she knew, probably. Once in the sixties, when everyone was experimenting with 'free love,' Alice left me for a human that was into the 'big love.' She drained three humans the same night. It was her first slip since her newborn years and she came back crying.

Again in the late eighties, she swore I would cheat on her and left before it could happen. A month later she was back in my arms, crying because I hadn't been with anyone but my hand the entire month she'd been gone. Unlike Bella, I was on round three. More the fool I.

I sighed and dialed my phone. It would be the first time we'd ever been divorced.

* * *

NessPOV

Mama and Jasper were more relaxed now that they had made their phone call. I was now Renesmee Whitlock. Mama wanted me to take the Coven name. I didn't mind.

It was strange, seeing Mama this way. She was completely different from when I last saw her. She had a darker edge to her personality that I couldn't place. She was dressing more provocatively and moved with a new air of confidence. She commanded a room. Controlled it. My Jake said he hasn't seen her like this in years. I wondered what he meant by that, but didn't ask.

She and Jasper worked well together. I could see the affection between the two, even when they were fighting. Jasper had realized what he was feeling, but Mama hadn't. I knew she was still reeling from my father's betrayal. It stung. I wanted her happy again.

Peter and Charlotte were a riot. Char was a great person and Peter was just a jokester, just like my Jake. Once Jasper and Mama had left, they started getting reacquainted.

I just sat back and watched. I loved seeing my family like this. Happy. Content. It seemed to always end up like this just before the fall of the hammer stroke that was to be our doom.

When Jasper said it was time to go, I picked up my backpack, which held clothes for the wolves, and followed them outside. I preferred riding Jake to running. I got tired after a while, and Jake didn't mind me straddling him.

Once the wolves transformed, I climbed on Jakes back and wrapped myself around him, feet around his stomach, arms around his neck and down his chest. It made it so I didn't hinder his movements.

We arrived at the beach and smiled. Several yards up the road, I could feel an invisible barrier pushing at me, daring me to cross it. That was the line. As a member of the Whitlock coven without Quileute blood, to cross the treaty line meant my death, and that of my pack from the grief Jake would suffer. I would never again enter La Push. I preferred it.

On the beach, the Elders and Sam's pack sat in a half circle around a fire. Only Sam was in human form. All of his pack members were behind them in wolf form. It vaguely reminded me of a story-telling ceremony. Mama looked up at Jasper, adoration in her eyes. Jasper's face was hard, set in a neutral mask. He returned her look with his eyes alone. They were both blind to it.

Jasper wrapped his arm around Mama's shoulders and he led her to the center log, sitting with her to his right. His hand never left her. Peter and Char joined them on the next log to the right.

Jake walked up in a pair of shorts and a teeshirt and wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head. I only came up to his chest. My Jake was a beast. "I see it, too." He whispered to me as the rest of the pack moved to the logs. Seth leaned against Mama's legs while Embry, Leah, and Quil took the log left of the middle. The only spots left were next to Jasper and next to Peter and Char.

I rested my hand on Jake's cheek and showed him the shared look between Mama and Jasper. "I want that for them, Jake, with their knowledge."

He smirked and kissed my shoulder. "Give them time. Your mom has a long history of problems with Edward, so something like this will take time." He smiled at me and moved to take my hand. "Come on, they're waiting."

We took our seats, Jake next to Jasper and me in the sand between his legs, and waited for the strategy talks to start.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

A/n: Whoa, talk about heavy. And the best is yet to come. Show me some love, review. I love you guys. I have to say a huge thanks to the mile long list of reviewers from last chapter. You guys rocked my world. I'm getting so many reviews, that if I were to respond to all of them, it would be longer than the chapter. Suffice to say, that means none of you are getting responses. I'm really sorry about that. I wish I had the time to say a personal thanks to each of you. As usual, to those of you who asked questions, I'm not revealing anything. You'll just have to read and see.

It's only going to get better from here, folks. So hang on to your seats.

leggy freak003


	7. Chapter 6

A/n: I know, it's been forever since I've updated. I'm sorry. I was having some personal issues that needed my imediate attention. I'm not sure if this means I'm back or not, but with the Release of the Eclipse DVD in December, i'm hoping good things are coming. I figured, since i had some leeway, i would post a chapter for you so that you didn't think that i had abandon you. So, here's chapter 6.

D/c: If i've said it once, i've said it a thousand times. I. DO. NOT. OWN. TWILIGHT.

Chapter 6

* * *

JPOV

It was nice to finally be able to taste the refreshing air of First Beach. It was a center of power because of the ceremonies held here. It was a happy place. The latent emotional echoes were fantastic. Rejuvenating. The sand's memory was the most happy one.

Not many knew that I could pick up emotional traces of the past. That particular expansion came after I hit the century mark. I was also in complete control of it.

I focused on Billy Black and the other elders. It was time to hash this all out, once and for all.

"Jasper." Billy greeted. "Bella, you're obviously in the middle of a major undertaking. Enlighten us. What is it you seek?"

I smirked. "We plan on taking on our leaders. The same vampires that attacked five years ago, just after Renesmee was born."

"And why are you doing this?" another old man asked.

"That's Old Quil Atrea." Jake muttered to me. "Quil's grandfather. The woman is Sue Clearwater, as I'm sure you remember." My anger spiked. All three of them had children among my wolves, and all three had turned their backs on them.

"Because of many reasons." Bella snarled. "The least of which being the threat they pose to this reservation and the town."

My hand found Bella's and I pushed a heavy dose of calm to her. We didn't need her to lose her temper. Judging by what I've seen thus far, that could be detrimental.

"We intent to lead them to Death Valley, where we'll have an army of our kind waiting, most of which will be newborns." I told Billy.

"Why newborns?" Sam asked. "If I remember correctly, you said they were quite the hazard to work with."

"They are." I told him. "And I don't plan to turn them myself. Like you, vampires have their histories. One of which would be the war waging throughout southern Texas and Mexico for the better half of the last three centuries. Peter, Charlotte, and I were born into this war. The cliff notes version is that the war is fought newborn on newborn. I'll be calling in a lot of favors, but I'll be moving those armies into Death Valley."

"The purpose is to distract the Guard." Peter piped up. "They won't expect it, and newborns are stronger than normal vamps. They'll hopefully take out some of the more useless members of the guard before they're destroyed by the Witch Twins."

"What does this have to do with us?" Sue asked. "I don't understand why you want to put our kids in the middle of this."

Bella took this one a little calmer outwardly, but barely containing her simmering rage. "Because the wolves are already involved. Since our last encounter with them, Aro knows about them. If we fail, it will be join him or die."

"You don't have to join us." I spoke to Sam directly. The elders could kiss my sparkly white ass. I was here to talk to Sam. They were a formality. "It's purely your decision, but if we lose, they'll come here for everyone with the Gene and their mates. They'll massacre the area to erase all traces of the supernatural."

Sam stared into the fire. His emotions were calm and you could practically see the wheels turning in his head. Behind him, the wolves shifted and jostled, almost itching with nerves or a want for the fight. "Why add us to the mix? You won't have the element of surprise like you will with the newborns. The most we are is more teeth."

"Because your bonds of loyalty cannot be swayed due to the mystical quality to the treaty." I told him. "And because your teeth, teamwork, and telepathy would be a great asset."

Sam nodded. "I'm sorry, Jasper. Everything in me tells me that this fight would be good for us, for our people, and that it's a fight that we need to win. However, I cannot put my Pack and my People in that kind of danger. I have to decline your request and hope that the wolves you have with you will be enough for you to win this fight."

I nodded in complete understanding. Everyone felt the same way, even Bella.

Billy looked at me. "Is that all?"

I shook my head. "No. We have other things to go over. The plan we've come up with if Alice and Edward show up here and a different request, since Sam has declined our offer."

Billy nodded with a sigh, patting Sue's hand in comfort. I could feel steady flows of irritation coming from Leah. Bella shot her a look and she settled down. I was confused, but would ask about it later.

"Until the fighting beings, we will be recruiting allies from all over the world, but we need to make sure our critical areas are covered." I told them. "We would like to request that, when we leave, Quil be allowed to stay here to keep us informed. This has the added bonus of him be allowed to remain with his Imprint until we call him for the fight."

Billy and Sam shared a look. "We can allow this. He will obey our alpha and works with our pack until such time as he is called, however." Billy said.

"That's fine." Quil said.

I felt smugness, vindication, and loathing coming form the ten wolves sitting behind the elders. That just won't do. Quil is a member of my coven, and as such will be treated with respect.

"I expect that he'll be treated with the same respect as the other wolves in the pack, regardless of loyalty, family, or imprint." my eyes fixated on the three wolves behind Sam and Old Quil. "That's right, I felt that." Their shock was palpable.

Sam rounded on them. "Quil will be treated with the same respect as any member of our own pack." The double timbre in his voice was obvious. Sam turned to me before leveling his eyes on Quil. "Emily will be happy to have you around again, Quil."

Quil smiled and Sam returned his eyes to me. "You expect the mind reader and the seer?"

"We don't." I told him. "But if they appear, we need to know that they're still bound by the Cullen Treaty."

"They will be considered as such." Sam said. "As well as anyone with them. If they cross that line, then they dies. I assume that was why you moved your boundary line."

Bella nodded. "Yes, if they cross the line to attack us, I can help you in their destruction."

"How?" Bill asked. "The Mind Reader can hear them coming, even if the Seer is blind to them."

"Because I have a mental shield that blocks Edward's ability. To hear them." Bella told Billy, smirking. "And it only takes one member of the pack under my shield to block the whole pack, deafening Edward."

Sam was smirking. "Bella, I may hate the circumstances involved, but I really like the new you."

"Everyone keeps saying that." Bella laughed.

Billy grunted. "There ain't nothing new about her. She just went back to normal. Charlie noticed, too, Bella. He was wondering what happened to you. Had Harry and I worried as well."

Bella just laughed. She shook her head. "So this whole ordeal could have been avoided if I'd just stayed normal. Go figure."

"I believe the banter adjourns the official meeting?" I asked, smirking.

Billy nodded. He looked at the boys behind him and smirked. "Go get the coolers. I'm sure everyone's hungry." He winked at Bella. "Charlie will be down soon. I thought we could celebrate your homecoming. Since the Treaty line's been negotiated, we can do it here."

I laughed at Bella's stunned look.

When Sam's pack returned, Charlie was with them, and so was a stereo. When it was playing, I pulled Bella to her feet.

"Lets Dance." I told her, as the Imprints appeared as well. Bella laughed as I swung her into a two-step.

It was a good night.

* * *

Volterra, Italy

NoPOV

Edward growled as he watched Alice's mind. Vampires the world over were vanishing from sight. Maria and the southern Warlords been the latest ones.

"This doesn't make any sense." Caius snarled. "How could they possibly escape her visions without knowing how?"

"Someone's got to be making decisions that are allying these vampires with La Push wolves or Half Breeds." Alice snapped. "I can't see what I've never been, as we so helpfully found out with Renesmee."

"Alice." was Edward's sharp reprimand.

"So if a vampire happened across a unicorn, they would vanish?" Marcus asked in a bored deadpan.

"Not helping." Aro murmured. He was the only calm one in the group. Edward was now focused on him. When their future vanished, Alice gasped. "Go," Aro said, "find out what's going on. Take Jane and Alec with you. I know how well you enjoy their company." He was far from the jovial man that they had come to know. Here, he was the Volturi leader and he was worried about his world.

Edward and Alice nodded and bowed. They and two other vampires left the room.

Aro frowned and rested his chin on his fingers. "What is that little woman up to?" He queried out loud before turning to Marcus. "You're sure about this? If she hates him, they could very well be destroyed."

Marcus rolled his eyes. "I assure you, the love is still there. It's weakening, and fast, but you will still have your toys when it's over."

"I hope you're right, Marcus." Caius said.

"I don't need to be a seer to know the outcome, Caius." Marcus murmured, sounding almost tired. "Edward and Alice will live for now because Renesmee loves her father and aunt still."

* * *

BPOV

I lay Renesmee in her bed with a smile. Jasper walked in with Jake slung over his shoulder. He lay him on the bed with Renesmee and shook his head. They'd partied themselves silly last night. It was amazing to see them so happy. Jasper led me out of the room and downstiars where Char was laying a very Drunk Leah on the couch. The she-wolf was making it difficult.

"You know what really sucks about this whole shape-shifter bit, Leech?" She was slurring hard. "It's not the eternal youth or the rockin' body or even that I turn in to a giant hairy wolf. Those are all perks. It kinda sucks to be mentally connected to a bunch of guys, but I'm used to that. It's being a genetic dead _end_." She drew out the 'n'. "Not being able to have babies. Not having that special connection of an imprint. I am the first and only female wolf and since I'm not male and can't pass on the wolf gene, I'm not useful in reproducing the species and am therefore a dead end. I'll be alone forever cause I don't have the temper control to stop …" She passed out cold.

"Finally." Char murmured.

"She sounds like Rose." Jasper commented.

"I don't think it's the children so much as the Imprint." I told him. "To have that emotional connection."

"She's got three years before she finds him, providing we survive." Peter said, coming down the stairs. "I know it's useless information, but I can only give what I'm given. Trust me. She and her Imprint put Char and I to shame."

"That's saying something." Jasper laughed.

I smiled and ran a hand through my hair. I needed a shower. Some of the older wolves decided some late night cliff diving was in order and I wasn't about to pass it up given how epically my last attempt failed, what with my needing saving and all.

I said my goodbyes to everyone and went straight for my bag and the nearest bathroom. The shower was both refreshing and relaxing. It gave me time to think without all eyes being on me. I knew Jasper constantly had a feel on my emotions, but under a curtain of scalding (to a human) hot water, I had relative privacy and didn't give a double damn.

I stepped out and frowned. I would have swore I brought clothes with me. In fact, I knew I did. I'm not that crazy. I found a note where I'd sat them.

_My office. Come naked and you might get your clothes back._

_J.W._

Really, I thought sarcastically.

I smirked to myself. I couldn't smell Jasper or Char. We really needed to put a bell on Peter or something. I shook my head and wrapped a towel around myself. I wrapped my hair up as well and went to Jasper's study. Should figure Peter would try to play matchmaker. Pair the spares and all that.

I arrived to find Jasper staring, rather perplexed, at my clothes. He turned to me and sighed.

"That explains why he and char vanished." He muttered. "Sorry, Bella."

"Like you can be blamed for Peter's actions." I said reaching for my clothes. Jasper's hand caught my wrist. He looked at me with black eyes. Once upon a time I would have been scared. Now, I was simply turned on. The hunger in his eyes was not for blood, but for me.

"Don't." He murmured. "Not yet. Bella, you have no idea what you do to me. How bad I want you."

"Jasper, we talked about this." I said. "I'm not interested."

"Bullshit." He snarled. "I can feel it, Bella, feel you. You can't lie to a fucking empath."

I stared him down. "Why would you possibly want me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" He responded. "Bella, I've wanted you from your first day in Forks. At the time, I had Alice and then Edward was after you. It was never your blood that drew me to you."

"Everyone always said it was my blood." I told him. I wracked my fuzzy human memories. "In Phoenix…"

"Phoenix was probably the best and worst days of my existence." Jasper told me. "I was relatively alone with you. Surrounded by you, your scent. But Alice was there as well and was constantly telling me she loved me, reminding me what an honorable man I was. I was torn in two. The woman that saved me and the woman of my dreams."

I shook my head. "I'm not that girl, Jasper. I never was. That was an act."

Jasper shook his head. "You're more her now than you were 7 years ago, Bella." His hand fell from my wrist and he tucked them into his pockets. "I know it all makes me sound like a pussy, but it's the truth, Bella." He left the study, his eyes still black. I heard the shower start and sighed.

Why was my love life so complicated?

* * *

Volterra, Italy.

3 days later

EdPOV

I led Alice down the hallway to Gianna's desk. The little human was quite mindless, but she did her job well.

_I hope he doesn't get too mad. I've heard that he has a terrible temper. When the currior told me who they were for …_

Well, this was irritating. She wouldn't even think the words.

"Oh, Mr. Edward, Miss Alice, You're here." She squeaked. Her heart rate jumped though she remained outwardly calm. Very interesting. "These packages came for you today."

She handed us each a large manila envelope. I saw it in Alice's vision before we'd even opened them. Divorce papers.

Oh, my sweet Isabella, you are in so much trouble when I get my hands on you. I tore them open and read through. Irreconcilable differences, abandonment, demand for custody of the child …. I nearly laughed. "What the Hell does she mean irreconcilable differences?" I roared. I would have so much fun when I finally got my hands around her pretty little throat. I would have to find a way to get her to drop her personal shield so that Jane could use her power. It was always highly arousing when she was inflicting pain on others.

I looked to my sister and saw that she was sobbing in a chair while Alec comforted her. "He left me." she whimpered.

_Edward, we can use this to our advantage. If they've severed ties with us it means there's a chance for them to get together. Aro wants them both and he can use Bella to force Jasper to cooperate._

I mentally smirked at that. This could have great potential.

"After all the times you left him, you're going to cry about this?" I snarled. We were fabulous actors. We needed to be. For what we were doing, we had to be able to fool everyone. Even Aro. "Even knowing Alec is your mate?"

"It's the principle of the thing, Edward." Alice shrieked. She really did know how to blow eardrums.

I vaguely realized that Gianna was cowering behind her desk. Our outbursts would fly quickly through the castle. Good.

"I don't see why you're bitching, Edward." Jane murmured seductively. She really was a gem. I was happy to have found her. I had loved Isabella, but she wasn't my mate. She and Renesmee belonged to Jasper. I was simply there to help. "You haven't exactly been the most faithful husband and father in the world." I could only smirk at her. Jane and Alec knew everything and were fully prepared to help us.

"You like my dark side." I murmured back to her, pulling her in for a kiss. We were interrupted by Alice's hiss.

"Gianna, I need a pen." She demanded holding out her hand.

"You're going to sign them?" I asked.

_I hope this goes well. We'll have to explain everything later. _She thought at the same time she was talking to me. "Of course. After what I've seen, I don't give a damn." Alice shrugged. She showed me a scene that I wished not to see. It involved a mostly naked Isabella, Jasper, and a jug of blood. "That was before they even left the Cullen Compound. He pulled her out of her Insanity."

I smirked and signed my papers as well. This should all be very interesting. It still irritated me that she had been the one to send me divorce papers. It was a blow to my masculinity. Honestly, I had been considering doing the same thing. It needed to be done because I had no intention of leaving Jane, but in my day, women didn't initiate the divorce often.

"If she wants to play that game, fine." I snarled. "We'll play. Lets go. Santa Fe and that Idiot 'Warlord' are calling."

It was all going to be very interesting.

* * *

JasPOV

Bella sat behind me on that Ducati Edward had bought and never used. Jake and Nessie were on one of the other ones I'd gotten them. Embry and Leah were on the other. We figured it would be easier to move as couples, so we sent Seth north with Peter and Char.

The feel of Bella pressed against me was like nothing else. We hadn't talked about anything but strategy in three days. I'd rattled her with my confession, but I'd had to put it out there. I couldn't have gone another minute without her knowing. Not with her standing therein that fucking towel, looking so damn innocent.

Peter got his, though. Bella and I made sure of it. If the bastard wasn't my brother, he'd have been dead 149 years ago. He's just too damn useful.

We were on our way to Santa Fe, New Mexico. There we could set up shop for the kids before Bella and I moved into war territory. They would be set up in a nice hotel that they weren't to leave until we got back.

It was a 26 hour ride. Good thing wolves could go a day without sleep. That was slightly extended owning to the need to hunt by the vampires. We would be stopping in Salt Lake City for that.

It was going to be an interesting couple of weeks. Many of the Warlords in the south hated me, for one reason or another. That was why I was taking Bella. Thing was, they hated the Volturi more. The constant threat over their heads would either make or break the deal.

I knew I could count on six of the total twenty Warlords to help me. Maria, Paco, Richard, Nina, Luna, and Dominique, if they were still alive, would join me immediately. They were old blood, ancients by war standards, and held a lot of power. The smaller covens avoided their territories. They each had a corner of Mexico to themselves, with Maria planted right smack dab on the gold mine of Monterrey. They were old, they were smart, and they knew how to control their newborns.

I was concerned, however. Moving newborns was tricky business, at best. They were constantly thirsty and barely in control of their tempers and emotions. Just the slightest hint of a human scent would send them into a frenzy of hunger. Only the truly experienced could move more than a few at a time without death tolls rising and the Volturi taking notice.

Than again, that was exactly what we wanted. I would leave that particular task to Maria. Catch their attention without alerting the humans to our presence. She was smart. Much as I hated the bitch, she was smart, and quick on her feet. She knew what she was doing. It would be interesting to see what she had to say.

I also needed to check in with Emmet and Rose to see if they were still on board. I would hold it against no one for telling me to get fucked.

Everything was moving forward as planned. I could only hope for no more snags.

This suicide mission might actually succeed.

* * *

A/n: I know, I'm a teasing bitch. But you love me anyway. Drop me a review. You know i live for them. I definitely want to hear what you think.

Super-mega-huge thanks to those of you who reviewed for last chapter. Even getting sparse ones in later weeks were enough to brighten my day. i love hearing from you guys. The beautiful part was that when i was having a horrible day, i would get a review, and it would just make me feel so much better, so thanks for that.

see you next time

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

leggy freak003


	8. Chapter 7

A/n: Here's the next update. I wanted to get something out since I'm not going to be internet able for a couple of days. I know this doesn't mean anything, considering the time I usually take between updates, but this chapter is done, so I wanted to get it out. That, and the response to last chapter was phenominal, as always, so here's a treat.

D/c: I don't own the Twilight related information. I'm not making any money off of this. All it is is an ego boost. The only thing that belongs to me is the plot.

Chapter 7

* * *

BPOV

Our arrival in Santa Fe, New Mexico, couldn't have been better timed. We pulled up at the hotel just as the vampires that apparently ran the area arrived. They had apparently caught our scents on the outskirts of town. It was two in the morning by the time we pulled into the hotel. Prime feeding hours for the wary.

Jasper said there was a newborn army in the area. He could sense it. In this instance, I trusted his instincts. He'd been hyperaware since we'd entered the city limits. That put me and the wolves on alert as well. Nessie was barely awake behind Jacob, so she was unaware.

"Are you Volturi?" Their leader asked. He was lanky, maybe five-foot-ten with shaggy brown hair and the bright red eyes that marked him a freshly fed human killer.

We pulled our helmets off and I stepped instinctively behind Jasper. It irritated the hell out of me that my body responded to his the way it did, but something told me a female wasn't taken seriously in this situation or these parts of the world. My mental shield covered us all instantly, just in case something stupid happened.

"Not fucking likely." Jasper snarled. "Major Jasper Whitlock. This is _part_ of my coven." I wasn't sure why he was stressing that some of us were missing, but I wasn't about to put my two-sense in. Not yet.

Their leader looked over the kids. "Odd company. Only two and a half vampires and three dogs."

"It's a complicated story." Jasper told him.

The little red-haired female that was hiding behind the burlier black haired male that had his hair pulled back. It reminded me of James' coven far too much. That sent my senses into overdrive and my shield clung tighter to my coven.

"What's your purpose here?" She asked. "Leo, I can't hear them. They're blank."

The leader, now identified as Leo, looked us over. "She has a valid question."

"We have some business to take care of with the warlords around the border." Jasper told him. "We were going to leave these four here, as they would cause quite a stir among the newborns."

Leo looked contemplative. "Marian can't hear your intent. Why? We don't trust people around here. Obviously you're not hiding newborns if you're riding on motorcycles, but that means little if your on the hunt for territory."

"Not even close." Jasper told him. "Our territory is in the north, and we like it that way. Isabella is a mental shield. She guards the minds of our coven unconsciously in the face of strangers. She's relatively new, still, not quite in control of it."

Leo eyed me with interest and I glared in return. He was smirking. It wasn't the look James had given me so long ago in the baseball field. No, this was the look of a male seeking a female. He wanted me, more specifically my power. This thought sent an irrepressible shiver down my spine. I didn't like that smirk. There was something incredibly wrong about it.

"What's she worth to you, Major?" Leo asked.

"Nothing you can give." Jasper responded firmly. "Isabella is mine."

Irritated Bella is irritated. He had a lot of balls to refer to me as a piece of property. The fact that it was even considered to barter me off like a prize mare was insulting enough. He had an ass load of explaining to do.

Leo smirked wider, if it were possible. "Really now? Is your mark on her? If not, she's fair game."

So this was over more than power. It was over mating rights. An alpha male meeting an alpha male and all that shit. If it weren't for the fact that we were dead, I would say it was testosterone and pheromones, but it was all instinct. Pure and undiluted.

It was completely primal. Jasper was nervous. He hadn't marked me. I mentally rolled my eyes and went for the sleeve of my shirt. I bared the wrist that held James' bite mark. This asshole didn't need to know it wasn't Jasper's.

For once, James saved me instead of haunting me. He must be hating himself in hell right now. I could only smirk at that thought.

I felt Jasper relax next to me as the other coven took in the mark.

"Why the wrist?" The big male asked.

"That's our business." I said, smirking as I tucked into Jasper's side. He was just loving this shit. Personally, I wanted to smack them all with steel rods.

Leo frowned. "Fine. They can stay. Once week, Mr. Whitlock, and they don't leave the hotel. Wouldn't want the Damphire to expose us." He and his coven walked off.

We checked in and I fell into one of the beds with a sigh.

"Quick thinking out there, Bells. Who knew that bastard's bite mark would save our asses." Jake murmured, curling up next to me since Nessie was in the shower.

"Thank god." Embry said. "Hey, Jas, what was that about, anyway?"

"A few things." Jasper said, looking over a map. "Basics of war living around here is to mark your female. An unmarked female is fair game. Usually it doesn't go cross coven, but in the event a truce is called and covens merge any unmarked females are fair game for the new males. Females are a commodity because so few are created. Male vampires are stronger than females inherently, for the first year. At full strength, a male vampire that's been around for several decades could take down a female newborn with some ease. That's why we had such an easy time with Bella. Unfortunately, the mark on the wrist isn't going to work the further south we go. This idiot is still wet behind the ears. New Mexico isn't even part of the wars. Hasn't been for a couple centuries at least." He marked a few things on the map and sent a text before turning to look at me. "I'm going to have to mark you more traditionally if we're going to fool them. They'll all want your power."

"You can't just redo the one on her wrist?" Leah asked from the window. She was watching for trouble before they crashed.

"No." Jasper sighed. "To those covens, a domination bite is only valid on the back of the neck or the collarbone. It's safe to assume you don't have one?" He asked me.

I couldn't help my answering snort as I rested my head on Jake's chest. "Please, for all his controlling tendencies, Assward was far to civil for that."

Jasper nodded.

As Renesmee came out of the bathroom, fully dressed and towel drying her hair, several familiar scents came through the window.

"Shit." Jasper hissed. "Why are they here?"

I hissed under my breath and came flying out of the bed and into a crouch as Edward and Alice walked into view with Jane and Alec. They recognized our scents, and the bike. My shield went up immediately.

Leah backed away from the window as Jasper and I moved to look through it. Not. Fucking. Good.

"It's a little late for the Shield, Love. I've already heard them." Edward crooned.

"You might as well come out and talk." Alice snapped. "We didn't even know you were here, so we're not here for you."

"Stay." Jasper and I ordered the wolves and Nessie at the same time. We both slipped out the door. We were down to fighting weight in the jeans and tank tops we wore under our riding gear.

Edward smirked as Jane and Alec focused on us. Both of their powers were rendered useless by my shield. I could smell them all over each other. Edward and Alice hadn't waited long to jump into the next bed on the list, had they? All the more reason for the divorce papers.

"Caius and Aro will be interested to know how large your coven has become." Jane deadpanned. It was always the same threat. She sounded like a six year old. 'ooooh, I'm going to tell daddy.'

I growled.

"Since when do wolves count in vampire numbers?" Jasper asked. He didn't elaborate.

"Since the new law was put in place limiting coven numbers." Alec said. "No coven is allowed more than four members with no more than two offensive abilities."

"That's asinine." I snapped.

"It was enough to get your family, as well as the Denali coven, detained." Jane said. Her power hit my shield uselessly. Keep trying, Janie. Just wait, you'll get yours.

Edward shook his head. "It didn't take you long to jump in bed with the next male, did it, Bella?"

I smirked. "Hey, Pot, meet Kettle. I can smell her all over you, Edward. You really are a masochist. Really shows how much the Magic 8-Ball knows, though, considering that I haven't slept with him, yet."

I could sense vampires moving closer. Leo and his newborns. Jasper was ready to move.

Alice shook her head. "Enough. Why are you going to Maria?" She asked Jasper.

"Social call." Jasper responded.

"Oh bullshit." Alice snapped. "I know you, you won't go near her unless you have no choice."

"Maybe I wanted to show Bella another side of the afterlife." Jasper smirked. "Nice eyes, by the way. Are those real or did you use contacts?"

"They're real." Edward sneered. "It's rather nice, being fully satisfied."

"It is." Jasper said smirking. "I can think of several others that would agree with you." He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to his chest. He backed up a few steps and held me tightly to him.

"It's Chelsea's influence." I murmured to Jasper. "I wonder if she had them even before they left Forks."

"I'd put money on it." Jasper responded, securing me to him further with his other hand around my torso, just below my breasts. "Don't move a muscle until I tell you to." He whispered in my ear. "Newborns are a point and shoot weapon, however sudden movements distract them and my scars will send them into fight or flight."

I nodded slowly as all attention went to the newborns that were fast approaching. As Alec and Jane unleashed their abilities, I reaffirmed my shield over my family.

Leo and his coven mates realized they lost and surrendered quickly. It was over in minutes. The humans were completely unaware. It amazed me how efficient it was. It made me wonder why everyone had to come for the sham of a trial for Nessie.

"What was our crime?" Leo snarled. "We had ten newborns and they were under control."

"Ten newborns to three inexperienced vampires is chump change." Jasper murmured to me. "Maria ran 21- 28 of us my first few years, before I had control, and that was with just Lucy and Nettie to help her.

"You were too open about them. The humans began to notice because you had a concentrated killing ground." Jane snapped. "You should have learned the rules before you played the game." She snapped his head off and they destroyed the evidence.

Jane turned to Jasper and I. "You had better watch yourself. We wouldn't want you to meet their fate." She turned to Edward. "Lets go. I'm hungry and I want to go home."

"We will, Mia Amore, in a moment." Edward told her, stroking her cheek. It sickened me. I hated that bastard more now than I did when he left me. He hadn't even wanted to find out if I was okay. He just moved on to the next female that could satisfy needs that I brought to the surface. I looked at Jasper and he seemed thoroughly unfazed by Alice in the arms of Alec.

Then again, I couldn't help but laugh. Edward and the Midget. It was just too funny. That son of a bitch was Mr. Morals and he had committed adultery. So much for protecting his Virtue. I had refrained from doing anything with Jasper partially _because_ of that twice damned marriage license, and HE committed adultery. It was rich.

Edward shot me a withering look. "When you're finished …"

That set me off again. It was just too fucking funny to me.

Jasper sent me a couple waves of calm through the hand on my stomach. I relaxed into him and smirked at Edward. "Leave, before things get ahead of schedule."

"What schedule?" Alice asked.

"None of your damn business." Jasper told her. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some things to attend to."

"You're barbaric." Edward snarled. "I caught your thoughts before the shield went up."

Jasper smirked and nipped at my shoulder. "What can I say? Unlike you, I want to keep her." I shivered at the thought as my dead womb sprang to life. Jasper was shooting me up with lust. I certainly wasn't in a state to care. It wasn't like my husband had taken care of my needs …. Yeah, sex now, pissed off later.

The happy stopped when Nessie jumped out of the window with Jake behind her. That brought me back to the present. Edward was poised to strike Jasper. Jasper was simply smirking at him, knowing that my physical shield had somehow gone up. This would have come down to a fight. Thank you, Ness, for not listening.

"Leave." She demanded. "You were the one that promised to leave me alone, dear father. Chance or not, I should hope you at least still have the morals to keep _that_ promise to me."

One … two … three … four … five solid hits to her father's heart and ego. I was so proud of her. So were Jacob and Jasper. No one was that good at verbally bitch slapping Edward in the face.

Lets see how many she can hit Alice with.

"Renesmee, he's your father." Alice snapped at her. "You have no right to talk to him that way." Yeah, Ness was about to let her have it.

"You're right, Alice." Nessie responded, pure venom lacing her tone. "He is my father. He was my dad. Just like you were my favorite aunt, until you betrayed the family like you did. Now, you're nothing more than a two timing slut."

Five hits to Alice and another two on her father. On top of that, I'd never heard the word 'slut' from my daughter's mouth. She was too damned nice to most people. Very well liked. This was turning into a good night after all.

Alice's eyes glazed over and Alec wrapped his arms around her. Jasper didn't even twitch. He just clutched me tighter to him and shot a look at Jake, who wrapped his arms around Nessie's shoulders from behind.

"Lets go." Alice said. "There's nothing more to be done." She sounded ready to cry.

"Next time you won't live." Nessie snarled. She sounded like a vampire. For the first time in her life, she was giving into that part of her nature. She was usually fairly human.

"We know." Edward murmured, leading Jane away.

And they were gone.

Well, color me stunned.

* * *

JPOV

Well mother fuck me sideways with a pogo stick if that didn't stun the hell out of us. Alice and Edward showing up in Santa Fe was all kinds of fucked up. If it hadn't been for Renesmee, it would have come down to a fight. We'd have won, of course, but the cost would have been astronomical.

We returned to the room and all eyes were on Bella and me. It was time for Damage control. I also needed to make phone calls.

"Look," I said, looking at the wolves, "I know you're pissed off about the comment about you being part of our coven, but you need to realized that it was for your protection."

"How?" Embry asked. It was only him and Leah that were pissed. Jake was pushing nothing but pure understanding.

"Because we're not counted under vampire law." Jake told him. "At least, we weren't. As far as their leaders are concerned, we're just hanging out. Since we're mythical creatures, they can't slam Bella and Jas for breaking the exposure rule either." he looked over at me. "Am I right?"

I nodded. "As far as I know. The comment was for distinction under their laws, not our mindset. Now, with this new deal they've got going on, that could change, but I doubt it. To them, you're nothing more than stinky ass dogs."

Bella sat down against the headboard of one of the beds and Embry curled into her stomach. The whole 'bond' thing was odd in and of itself, but to see it action was strange. Bella ran her fingers through his hair as Leah curled up at the foot of the bed.

"You're our family." She told them. "No matter what's said, that's guaranteed fact." She turned to me. "Check in with Peter. Quil and Seth won't phase until tomorrow morning."

I nodded and stepped outside. She could calm the kids down, easily, without my help.

My phone rang before I even made it to the bike.

"Whitlock." I answered.

"Alls fine in Denali, Major. They were just contained, much like you were." Peter told me.

"All unscathed?"

"Other than fighting with their guard dog, yeah." Peter said. "That Garret is a piece of work. I like him. He's damn protective over these females, especially Kate and Tanya."

"Are they in or out?"

"All in, Major." Peter said. "Eleazar called Aro to let him know he and Carmen are taking the split deal. He offered to hit Europe for us."

"Send my thanks. The sisters?"

"Headed your way." Peter said. "We need to set up shop somewhere, so that those that need to move, can."

"Right." I sighed. "Send them to Santa Fe and then we'll send Jake and Ness with 'em into Death Valley. That'll keep the five of them safe and put Bella's mind at ease."

"I thought you were keeping Jake and Ness with you?"

"They're more familiar with the Denali Sisters than Embry and Leah. It's a matter of comfort."

"I gottcha." Peter sighed. "Alright, anymore news?"

"Yeah, 8-Ball and Fuckward are nothing more than cheating whores. They hooked up with the witch twins." I told him.

"Potentially problematic." he murmured. "And you gossip like and old woman, Major."

"Watch it, Captain." I snapped, pulling rank. He hated it when I did that, but I hated being called a gossip, so we were even. I just relayed vital information. Besides, we were at war.

"Aye, sir." Peter said, sounding tired. "Once we see the girls off, we'll head east and start working on Nomads."

"Good." I said. "Peter, try to get phone numbers. If not, get some disposables to hand out. And for God's sake, tell Eleazar to avoid Carlisle and Alistair. Key emphasis on the Romanians. I'm sending Rose and Em to Africa, if they're still with us. If not, He may have to cover the whole eastern hemisphere. Tell him to avoid anyone who will alert the Volturi."

"Understood, Major. Anything else?"

"Once you're done in Canada, work your way south. Anything past Mexico, we'll handle. Bella's got friends in South America we're going to visit."

"Alright. Be careful, Major. You know that land better than I do and you know how tentative Southern Alliances are."

"Right. Talk to you later, Peter."

"Major."

He hung up and I took a deep breath. We needed to find people to hit the other continents. This was bad.

"We could call Ben." Bella said, walking up. "Sorry, the kids are asleep and I caught the last half." She added meekly. It was a glimpse of the girl she'd been before Michigan.

"Think he'd help?" I asked. "Amun might not like it."

"Fuck Amun." She snorted. Ah, there she was. "I've hated that bastard for years. Whatever we tell Ben needs to be kept OUT of Amun's ear. He'll rat us out for sure."

"We could call Siobhan and Maggie." I suggested.

"Maggie, yes. Siobhan would laugh in our faces. Unless they've been hit, I doubt they would be useful."

"You're quick to judge." I pointed out.

She growled at me. "Fuck you, Whitlock."

"Name the time, place, and position, Querida." I smirked.

She ignored me. Tease. "I spent a good portion of my human life watching people and learning how to break their masks while keeping mine intact. I'm quick to judge, but I'm accurate."

That she was. Outside of our exes, she'd managed fairly well in our family. She broke through everyone's facades to who they really were. Even Rosalie and I, the two most hardened in the house, weren't immune to her.

Speaking of. "I need to call Rose and Emmett."

She waved her hand in a 'hurry it the fuck up' gesture and spared a look at the lightening sky. Shit. I dialed as we headed back into the room where we found the kids asleep. Oddly convenient.

"McCarthy." Emmett answered.

"Hey, Em, how's it going?"

"Not to well." He sighed. "Rose and I are still in the Michigan 'house'." Heavy sarcasm. Not Em's usual style. "We're leaving for Duluth tomorrow to fly out to Europe."

Perfect. "You still with us or are you backing out?"

"With you, why?"

"Perfect, listen…" I filled him in on all the details of what we learned and detailed a list of covens and nomad I wanted them to find and what to do. "Once you're done, head to Death Valley. One of the wolves will be there, along with the Denali Sisters, possibly more, depending on who we have to spring from Volturi holding. And be careful of the Egyptians. Aro will want Ben before we get there. Find them first."

"Got it, bro, I'll check in later."

"See to it. Slap your wife on the ass for me." I told him.

Bella raised her eyebrow at me as we went back to the room. "What?" I asked.

She just rolled her eyes and walked into the room.

"Don't judge me." I snapped. "Rose and I are completely platonic. However, when my sister gives me a better hard on than my wife, a relationship forms." I smirked. "Kinda like you."

She fucking laughed at me.

That is, until I pulled her against me and sank my teeth into the right side of her collarbone without warning.

She hissed a breath before she stopped breathing all together. Her fingers on her right hand laced through my hair and gripped hard as I fed several large, sharp jolts of lust directly into where her womb was.

Where Nessie once grew.

Fuck if that thought didn't stop me. I slowed down the lust and changed it over to satisfaction before stopping all together and pulling my teeth out of her neck. I soothed the bite with my tongue and nuzzled the back of her neck in a purely primal gesture. I sat down against the far wall and held her between my legs. This female was mine, whether she liked it or not.

Bella didn't move away, but she was confused as hell as to why my behavior changed all of a sudden.

Because my mate had borne a child that wasn't mine. A child I can't mark as mine without fear for her health.

My mate was hurt. Not physically, but emotionally in pain. I could feel the emotional firestorm beneath her façade and it hurt me to know that my companion and brother had put it there.

Most of all, my mate didn't know, or acknowledge, that she was mine and I was hers.

She shocked me, then, by tucking her head under my chin and curling into me, seeking comfort. I wrapped my arms tighter around her waist and held her close, pushing all the love and comfort I could.

Desire could wait.

I watched Nessie sleep in the arms of her mate and sighed. In a perfect world, those curls would be blond.

I kissed my Bella on the forehead, knowing I'd have to explain, but right now, I wanted to bask in contentment and happiness for a little longer.

* * *

A/n: So, that's where we stand. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! I wanna hear from you guys. I've gotten phenominal response so far and we've already surpassed one completed story for reviews. It feels fantastic!

Epic thanks to my reviewers, who absolutely made my day. It's been a very long, very hard couple of weeks, and your reviews kept me going. Thanks a whole bunch to all of you.

Thanks to those that added me to their lists, too. I love seeing those notices, though I would love a review more. XD

See you all next time. Just a hint, we get to see a glimpse of the Major next time, so stay tuned.

leggy freak003


	9. Chapter 8

**A/n:** Here we are with a whole new chapter. Things are starting to get interesting. I think you guys will really like this one. Not much else I can say right at the moment. Enjoy.

and just an FYI, I'm trying out some new formatting, so don't worry that it looks a little different.

**D/c:** All Twilight related characters, places, and ideas belong to Stephanie Meyer. The plot is mine. No copywright infringement intended.

**Chapter 8**

* * *

**BPOV**

I didn't quite know what had come over me. Last night. It was insane. I stepped into the shower, but I could hear the rest of the room coming to life. They were going to have to wait for me. Jasper and I needed to leave today. We had several covens on the way to Laredo, and Jasper wanted to meet with Maria as soon as possible. She was somehow key to his plan. I'm still not quite sure why that bothers me so much.

Last night was strange. Completely uncharacteristic to me. My fingers reached up to trace the bite mark that marred my shoulder. When Jasper had sunk his teeth into me, I'd been completely shocked. The pain was nothing. I'd been in labor followed closely by the fire of the change. The lust. The pure undiluted lust he was sending into me. It made me want him more than I had ever wanted any man in my life. I didn't know where he'd come up with that kind of feeling…

That was nothing. I'd felt lust before. What I hadn't experienced in years was the utter contentment I felt in his arms. He soothed the bite and held me close for the whole night. He'd only let me go when the others started to stir. I didn't quite understand why I'd felt so safe in his arms. I'd never felt like that with Edward. I didn't get it. Instinct drove me from the moment he bit me and I curled into him, wanting to be nowhere else in the world.

I shook my head as I washed myself and went through my routine. I checked the bite in the mirror. My instincts screamed at me not to mess with it. I'd had to force myself to take a shower. I didn't understand what was going on. This was all completely new to me, and I wasn't about to ask Jasper about it.

"Bella, are you okay?" Jasper asked from the other side of the door.

I looked over when my stomach stirred just at the sound of his voice. "I'm fine, Jasper. I'll be out in a minute."

Ugh, why did he have to be a damn empath? He felt everything I did.

I looked up at the mirror. My eyes were dark, but I wasn't thirsty. I'd just fed in Salt Lake City, and the game was big. I was full, even though it wasn't on human blood. But my eyes were so dark.

"Bella, let me in." Jasper murmured.

"I told you I'll be out in a minute." I snapped.

"No. It sounds like we need to talk. Jake took the others to get breakfast. They'll be back in an hour or so. Let me in."

I was trembling. I didn't understand why.

I slowly opened the door. At this point, I had some clothes on. A pair of pants and a bra. Jasper's eyes darkened just seeing me. He walked over and ran his fingers over the mark. "You're pushing some pretty conflicting emotions there, _mi compañero_. Care to explain?"

"It's nothing." I told him. I didn't know what the endearment meant, but it sent shivers down my spine as he crowded closer.

"You're lying to me, _Mi amado_." He murmured. He was deliberately using Spanish that I didn't know. How could he not be? "_Cuando se ve que usted es el mío? Que estoy aquí para cuidar de ti?"_

"Jasper, I don't understand what you're saying." I murmured back, a little nervous. "I don't remember that much of my Spanish classes."

He chuckled. "Just as well," he sighed, "it's best you don't understand quite yet. What was with the emotions?"

I sighed and sat down on the toilet. "Last night. It has me so damned confused." I leaned my elbows on my knees and rested my forehead in my hands. "I don't understand where all that came from, Jasper. I know you said you had feelings for me, and maybe I share them, but last night … that was beyond anything I've experienced before."

Jasper ran his hands over his face and leaned against the counter. "I made several realizations last night, Bella, and almost all of them were made through instinct. I'm not sure if you're ready to hear it or not. You've closed yourself off from everyone. I'm the only one that has any idea what's going on with you because you can't hide your emotions behind your shield. Even if I couldn't read you that way, I'm pretty adept at figuring out what a person's feeling by looking at them. You're like an open book to the well informed."

I looked him square in the eye, daring him to say another word. I hadn't been processing my own emotions for some time now. Ever since we left Forks, I had cut myself off. I needed to be able to think objectively, and emotions got in the way of that.

Jasper shook his head. "Don't. Don't you dare try to block me out." He snarled. "There's one thing you need to learn really fast, Bella. My instincts are a helluva lot stronger than yours. I lived on my emotions for the better part of my existence, barring after I joined those fucking Cullens, when I blocked them out because I wanted to believe Alice. You may not be ready to hear it, and you may not be ready to accept it, but you need to learn real quick that you are to never block yourself off to me." He was glaring at me, but he hadn't moved a muscle, and he hadn't raised his voice. He still managed to be intimidated and I felt as if I'd just been scolded. But he didn't stop. "_Eres mía_, Bella! You are mine."

I was on my feet before another thought could be processed, a growl echoing from deep in my throat. "I hate to break it to you, Soldier Boy, but I don't belong to anyone." I snapped back at him. "Especially not you."

He smirked and moved closer, forcing me against the wall. "You really think that?" He asked, leaning over and inhaling my scent. He traced his tongue over his mark and I shuddered. "Because your reactions are saying differently. So are your emotions." He smirked at me and brushed his nose along the shell of my ear and chuckled. "I'll bet you're just dripping for me."

I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing I was. What was it about dominant displays that turned me on? This was ridiculous. Every time this man came within two feet of me, I was soaked. I didn't get it. I felt his hand rest on my hip and moaned as my lust intensified tenfold. I felt my nipples pebble against my bra and threw my head back with a moan.

Jasper was chuckling. "Remember the kind of power I have over you, Isabella. We wouldn't want me to use it to my own selfish advantage." He pulled away leaving me, once again, unsatisfied. This was the third time he'd done this to me. Fourth if you counted the time Carlisle walked in on us. He was teasing the hell out of me and I was just about sick of it.

"Get dressed." He told me. "The kids are on their way back and we need to leave as soon as they are."

I growled as he closed the door to the bathroom on his way out. That son of a bitch was going to pay for this.

* * *

**JPOV**

I smirked to myself as I walked out of the bathroom. She may be thoroughly pissed now, but I was right. That little female was all mine. She just didn't know it yet. It wouldn't take much to push her over the edge at this point. I threw a sharp wave of lust and ecstasy at her and heard her moan as she was thrown over the edge. It did little for me, but I would never leave my woman hanging like that.

The kids walked back in and threw themselves onto the beds. Bella walked out of the bathroom and threw a glare at me. I smirked at her before turning to the kids. "Bella and I are going to be gone for a few days at least. We'll have our cells, so you can get a hold of us, but we've got a lot of spots to hit between now and southern Mexico. Hopefully most of them are cooperative."

"Isn't the pixie going to see what you're doing without one of us with you?" Leah asked.

"She already has." Bella told her. "It's no big deal. We'll figure a way around that. As far as I know, she's only seen us going to visit his creator. Since we haven't decided what we're going to say, and a lot of huge decisions rest with Maria, Alice won't have seen the outcome. Yet."

I nodded. "We'll be back later. Don't separate, and stay inside as much as possible. We'll be back when we can."

Bella and I walked out the door and took off into the desert.

* * *

**BPOV**

We wandered around for a week just trying to grab everyone in the north western sector of Mexico. Jasper had a lot of connections in this area, and not all of them good. More often than not my shields were needed. When Jasper finally explained what was going on and what we were planning, most of the 'warlords' were on board. I didn't know how any of them considered themselves warlords. Most of the time it was one vampire to ten or less newborns. On the west side, we'd only seen one vampire that looked as if they'd be old enough to really know what they were doing. Jasper seemed to be on fairly decent terms with that particular vampire and even spent a few minutes chatting.

"She's in Laredo, Major." The vampire said. "She lost Monterrey about a decade ago. Without you around, she couldn't hold it. She hasn't tried for it since, either. She dug out herself a nice little niche in Nuevo Leon. She's got that whole area under her control."

"Who has Monterrey?" Jasper asked.

"Some new kid with a lot of friends." The vampire said, contemptuously. "He's got about three or four older vampires working under him throughout Coahuila and he keeps Monterrey to himself. He's an arrogant little bastard."

Jasper nodded. "Looks like it's one Warlord per territory, then?"

The vampire nodded. "We get small fries here and there that think they're all big and bad, but mostly …" He looked over at me and switched to Spanish. Well, that'll be irritating.

Jasper nodded. "Thanks for your help. I'll let you know when we need to move."

"Sure, but this makes us even, Major." He said.

Jasper nodded and waved.

I didn't say a word as Jasper led me out of the camp, his arm around my shoulder. It was going to be a long couple of weeks.

We worked our way south from there and looped our way back up. I'm not sure why Jasper decided to see Maria last. It made no sense to me. But I kept my mouth shut. Newborns, as a whole, didn't look very friendly. Down here, they were little more than rabid animals. Maria's looked particularly vicious.

"Don't make eye contact." Jasper told me. I grimaced as Jasper led me to the encampment of his creator. The living conditions were sub-par given the century. The newborns wandered around, from tent to tent, watching us as we walked in. I think it was only the scars that covered Jasper's arms and neck that kept them at bay. At least they were clothed. It was better than some of the other camps that we had been through on our little recruiting trip. Jasper stopped me at the front door of the house that was on the property. He had his game face on. Hard as stone and ready for anything. I knew that I was no longer looking at Jasper Whitlock. I was looking at Major Whitlock, Scourge of the Southern Wars. The most feared vampire in history.

He smirked over his shoulder at me as he knocked on the door. He'd felt that shot of arousal. Shit.

A small Mexican vampire appeared at the door in what could barely be considered a slip of a dress. It went to her knees and was slit up both sides to the top of her hip, hanging on by only a single, thin, shoulder strap. Her brown hair was curly and messy. She looked as if she'd just gotten done romping with one of her newborns.

"Major Jasper Whitlock." She purred in a thick Spanish accent. "You came back to me." She looked past him and distaste colored her features. "Who's your pet?"

Jasper chuckled. "You've got it wrong, Maria." He said, running his fingers over her cheek. "I didn't come back to you. I came with a proposition."

I put a lid on the jealousy before Jasper picked up on it. I didn't want his hands on this little whore. I did, however, want to tear her eyes from her head because of the eye-fuck she was giving him.

All three of us turned as two newborns started tearing each other apart. I watched in awe. This was the power of the newborns. No wonder I was always kept in rigid check. Maria looked bored as they tore each other apart, knocking her number down to roughly 17 in total. One of the other vampires, that looked to be more in control of himself, shook his head and burned them. It seemed like a waste to me.

Maria caught the look on my face with a smirk on hers. "I see you've never seen the true power of a newborn." She looked me over. "You're not very old yourself." She looked at Jasper. "Where did you find her, Major?"

Jasper smirked. "She used to be with the mind reader, till he left her."

Maria snorted. "Why would he do that?"

"We're still trying to figure that out, ourselves." Jasper said.

Maria sighed. "Come on in, then. Marco! I want three more tonight. When they're done, I want to move on that flashy little whore south of here."

"Of course, Mistress." The vampire I'd noted earlier said, glaring at the newborns.

Maria sighed and led us into the living room. She pushed two more vampires off of the couch. "Go outside with the others. Marco needs help and when dusk falls, I want them hunting."

"Of course, Mistress." The two said, scrambling to do her bidding. I was fascinated by the lifestyle, I'll admit.

Maria fell into a lounge chair and smirked. "It hasn't been the same since you left, Major. Mind you, I managed to keep most of what I had, but you know as well as I do, it's never enough."

Jasper chuckled as he sat down on the couch. "Can't say that I care to remember, Maria. My years with you were some of the worst of my existence."

Maria laughed. "You were one of the lucky ones." She lit a cigarette and tossed them to Jasper and I. "They're you're favorite. Can't find them north of the Rio anymore."

Jasper nodded. "I remember." He said, lighting one. He passed them to me. "Think of it as a peace pipe, Bella," He said.

I nodded and lit one as well. I was completely out of my element, here.

Maria laughed. "How old is she?" She asked.

"Just about five years," Jasper told her.

Maria smirked. "She's got a lot of power in her for five years." She winked at me. "That's my little ability. I know what others can do, or how strong they are. That's why I know when to get rid of my newborns."

I nodded. "Fascinating."

Maria turned her attention back to Jasper. "So, on to business. Why did you come?"

"We're going after the Volturi," Jasper told her. "We're gathering as much support as we can and gathering it in Death Valley so that they'll come to us."

"It's a suicide mission, Major. Very unlike you." Maria told him. "What makes you think you'll win? Their little twins are enough of a force that they wouldn't need the rest of the guard."

"That's what Isabella's for." Jasper told her. "She's a mental shield. She blocks the twins' powers."

Maria looked intrigued. "Really? Well, that changes things. Why are you going after them?"

"They're taking out the larger covens." I said, deciding to add my two sense. "They started in the north and are working their way south. Anything over four members is in danger of eradication or internment if they don't play by the rules." I tilted my head to the side. "And they'll only intern if that coven has powers they want."

Maria looked thoughtful. "That's all well and good, little Beauty, if not for the fact that without the Volturi, the wars down here will explode." She smirked. "Personally, I like things they way they are."

"Until they come for your newborns." Jasper said. "And you. You know as well as I do that they're doing this because they feel threatened. Now they have Edward and Alice."

That caused Maria to pause. "They have the fortune teller and the mind reader? That changes the game quite a bit." She sighed and tapped out her cigarette. "So what are you planning to do after words?"

"Self government." Jasper told her. "In a sense. That's why we're trying to gather as many vampires as we can, so that when it's over we can make a decision as a whole. It's time for the vampires to stop living in fear."

Maria nodded. "I agree with you there, _Querido,_ but we can't exactly reveal ourselves to the humans. That'll send our food supply out the window." She looked us in the eye. "Then again, that's only for us normal vampires."

I smirked. "You make it sound like human compassion is a bad thing."

She shook her head. "I like you, Isabella. You play the game." She rose from her seat. "Have you talked to any of the other warlords?"

"Several." Jasper said. "But as you know, I don't get a warm welcome from them."

Maria laughed. "Isn't that the truth. As much bad blood runs around here, if you'll pardon the expression, I'm surprised you're still alive." She walked over to a bookshelf and started browsing through the titles. "Ah, here we go." She pulled out a much battered leather bound book. She dropped it on the table in front of us. "The account of the last offensive against the Volturi."

Jasper looked up at her before flicking through it. I took the moment to look Maria over more closely. She was covered in bite marks, much like all of the other vampires around here were. She was still beautiful. The scars only added to her appeal, to be honest. She wore dark make up and cared more about her appearance than she let on. She'd done this in the minute before answering the door.

She looked over at me. "So, little Beauty, what makes you want to do this so bad. Northerners don't do anything without a reason."

I smirked at her. "My family was destroyed because of them. My daughter is in constant danger because of their existence. I intend to remedy that."

"Daughter?" Maria asked.

I nodded. "It's a long story."

Maria nodded. "Believe me, dear, there isn't much about vampires I don't know. I've spent the last half a millennia turning and destroying them with only three escapees. I've heard it all. Even Damphiers." She looked over at Jasper, who was completely engrossed in the book. "I take it that's what your little girl is?"

I nodded. "How did you know?"

"About eight years ago a couple of them came through looking for human women. When they realized that their existence was in danger by simply standing in the wrong spot they left, but not before my newborns got a hold of one." Maria told me. "So tell me, have you fucked the good Major yet?"

I shook my head. "Not for lack of trying on his part, though."

Maria laughed. She wasn't as evil as I'd imagined her to be. When Jasper told me his story all those years ago, I'd imagined her to be the devil incarnate. Now, sitting here with her, I could see that she was just looking for a way to survive the same as everyone else. She did so, quite successfully, the only way she knew how.

Jasper snapped the book shut and held it against his shoulder. "Do you mind if I take this?"

Maria shook her head. "Not at all, Major. I'm sure you'll want the Captain to read it as well." She looked out the window. "When are you doing it?"

"We'll be in touch." Jasper told her, rising to his feet. I followed. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, Major." Maria told him. "I'll think of a way for you to pay me back."

Jasper smirked. "I never had a doubt in my mind. Just remember, I won't come back."

She nodded and we left the house. Once we were well outside the camp Jasper's demeanor changed. He became a whole new person as we made our way further south. There was work to be done and plans to be made. We needed to start making calls and checking in with our friends all over the globe. It was nearly time to take the offensive.

I could practically taste the venom already.

* * *

**A/n:** I just had to throw that last bit in there. Come on? Did you really think I was going to skim over the run in with Maria? No way. Too much fun. Let me know what you guys think. What you liked, what you didn't like, what you absolutely hated. Tell me. I wanna know. It's your feedback that makes me a better writer, so tell me.

Sorry there wasn't a lot of Jasper in this one. As much as I love being in his head, as well as others, this one had to be told from Bella's POV.

Epic thanks to all my reviewers. I love you guys long time. We've breeched the 200 mark, in just eight chapters. Do you guys have any idea how thrilled I am to see that? It's amazing!

See you all next time.

The translations that follow are rough and provided by Google. If I got something wrong, I'm sorry.

**Translations:**

The Spanish: _Cuando se ve que usted es el mío? Que estoy aquí para cuidar de ti? _

Translates roughly to: When will you see that you are mine? That I'm here to take care of you?

The Spanish: _Mi Compañero_

Translates as: My Mate

The Spanish: _Eres Mia_

Translates to: You're Mine

The Spanish: _Mi amado_

Translates to: My beloved


	10. Chapter 9

A/n: Okay, so here we are with Chapter 9. I'm truly sorry for the butchered Spanish in the last chapter. It was google's fault. They don't acknowledge male or female forms of words. It's not my fault. I never took the class.

Anywho, Here we go. Things are starting to wind up. Last chapter we saw the meeting with Maria, so now you know things are starting to get serious. Stay tuned.

D/c: I don't own Twilight, if I did, it would have ended_ very _differently than it actually did. Just saying.

Chapter 9

* * *

Jake POV

We sat around most of the time, trying to find ways to entertain ourselves. Bella and Jasper have been gone for nearly a month. Nessie is getting worried. Embry and Leah are getting restless. There have been bloodsuckers running around too. I've been itching to do something to help Jasper and Bella. It's been driving me crazy just sitting here idle.

Nessie is all but a wreck. She's worried about her mother, but at the same time, she's worried about her father. I know that she still loves him. If at all possible, I'm certain Bella would spare him for Nessie's sake, but I doubt it would take anything less than her request. Personally, I'd rather see the bastard dead. After all he'd done to my girls and the absolute hell they'd gone through because of him, it was about time someone knocked him down to par with the rest of us.

Embry was getting twitchy. It meant he was going to do something stupid and soon. He was like that. Leah was keeping him distracted as possible. I know she's itching for a fight herself, but she is one of the most patient wolves I have ever seen. It had to have something to do with the fact that she was the only female and had to put up with all of us guys. I didn't quite get how she managed to do it. There were days I wanted to smack Quil and Embry's heads together.

We'd been checking in with the other two twice a week since Jasper and Bella left. Peter and Charlotte were mostly successful in their endeavors. There were only one or two people that they had come across that didn't want anything to do with the fight. On the plus side, they were willing to keep their mouths shut because they wanted the Volturi gone as much as the rest of the world.

I looked up as a knock sounded at the door. I rose and motioned for Nessie to get back. "Who is it?" I asked.

"Tanya, Kate, and Garret from Denali." Came a female voice. I recognized the names from the first attack. These were the Cullen's 'Cousins' from Alaska.

I walked over and opened the door. Both females were smiling at me. The male was watching behind them. I motioned for them to come in and nodded. "Glad you made it." I told them. "Jasper said you were coming."

"We would have been here sooner if it weren't for someone's insistance that we cover our tracks." Tanya said, pointing to Garret. "He doesn't quite get that if the Volturi wanted us, we'd have been picked up already, covered trail or no. Between the Tracker, Demitri, and Alice's visions, it would have been a cakewalk."

"Not any more." I told her, smirking. "We wolves block Alice's visions. Nessie does too, to a point."

Garret looked happy about that. The poor guy had to be going nuts trying to protect a couple of headstrong females. I know the feeling well. Between Nessie and Bella, I'd wanted to give myself plenty of concussions over the years.

"The problem is that we're not sure about the Tracker." Nessie said. "I know that we can't be tracked under Mama's shield, but I'm not sure how much of that carried over to me."

"It's alright, hon." Kate said, wrapping her arms around Ness. "We'll be safe enough. If they send anyone after us, then we've got three horse sized guard dogs and Garret."

This got a laugh from everyone. We were safe enough, as long as they didn't send the whole damned guard after us. I hoped we were enough. Without Seth or Quil, we would need to be careful.

Garret looked at me. "What have you been doing to stay secure?"

"Mostly we've kept to ourselves. Night falls and one of us is outside patrolling in the trees so that the humans don't see us but we can keep an eye out." I told him. "We've stayed fairly close to the hotel and Jasper is letting us use his account to pay for everything to keep us safe."

"Where are Jasper and Bella?" Tanya asked, sitting on the bed.

"They moved south, into Mexico." Embry said. "Said something about conferring with the warlords."

Garret's eyes widened. "He's bringing that lot into the fight?"

Leah nodded. She was at her usual spot, watching out the window. "Jasper wants to use the newborns as a distraction. It's not going to be much longer before the fighting starts. He's not going to waste any time. When they get back, one of us wolves and you three are going to go to Death Valley to set up camp."

Tanya nodded. "I don't suppose you know which one of you are going."

"Nessie and I." I told her. "Bella doesn't want her as a part of the fighting and I'm going with her to protect her. Besides the fact that we can't be separated because of the imprint."

Kate looked between Leah and Embry, who had gone silent. "I take it you two don't like that idea."

Leah didn't move an inch. "We would prefer if Jake stayed with Jasper. He's the alpha of the pack and in our minds it's between him and Jasper to make decisions. With him not here, we're without one of our leaders, it would make us restless. For them to be together and watch each others backs, it would make us feel better. We have all intentions of voicing this when Jasper and Bella return, but for now you'll be with Jake."

Tanya looked over at Nessie. "You've certainly found yourself a strange family, _Bambina."_

"I know." Nessie told her, grinning. "But I love them."

All of us smiled at that. Nessie was the glue that kept our families together. If not for her, Jasper, Bella, Peter, and Charlotte would have been nowhere near Forks, let alone First Beach, without being attacked because of Peter and Char's red eyes.

We all looked up as someone knocked again. I answered the door to find the Hotel manager standing there. "Sir, we were told that more people have entered your room. We don't allow parties. They're either going to have to rent a room or leave."

I tilted my head to the side a bit, shifting to block his view of the others. It was a good thing I was so large. "They're family that came to visit us. We won't be here very long. We're just waiting for my girlfriend's sister and her boyfriend to get back and then we'll be out of here. It's no problem."

"Of course, sir." The little man said.

I closed the door and turned to the others. Garret, Leah, and Embry all looked at me with a pointed look. The little fucker was full of shit. I had blocked him because he was twitching and trying to see around me. It was relatively bright out. Didn't need him to catch a glimpse of a sparkle.

"This is a problem." I said. "Ness, call Jasper and Bella. Ladies, you might want to turn your backs. I need to phase." It was that time again, anyway.

I could feel a ripple in my nerves when the others phased. Even Leah and Embry. I was the only one that did feel it. We'd discussed it before. Tanya and Kate turned their backs while Nessie walked into the bathroom to make her call.

They were moving in on us here. Alice must've seen the Denali vamps moving and when they vanished, they knew it was us. They'd met up here. We may have to get out of dodge.

I dropped my shorts and exploded. Instantly I felt the flood of the pack mind. Quil was phased as well. Seth phased only a second after I did.

_What's going on?_ I asked them.

_Not too much, here. It's been quiet._ Quil said. _No sign of anyone. Not even strays. Sam is getting kinda twitchy about it._

_I would be too._ I admitted. If they weren't searching Forks for a hint of our goal, assuming they knew what we were doing, then they knew what our goal was. I heard a rumbling growl echo from the other two. _Calm down. We don't know anything for sure. Seth, what's Peter say?_

_That you guys need to get the hell out of dodge just as fast as you can. You can't stay in Santa Fe. Go to Laredo. Jasper and Bella are already there. They just called to check in with Peter._

Seth sounded worried.

_I am, you prick. Quit talking and go. They're moving towards you._

_Alright._ I said. _I'll talk to you guys later._ I had all the information I needed. When their minds flooded mine, I got all the recent events. I phased back and pulled my shorts on and called to Nessie. "Get ready to go. Peter says we gotta get the hell out of here."

"What's going on?" Garret asked.

"They're coming here." I told them. "Cuntpire and Fuckward knew that we were here and I'm guessing that when they saw you moving south and disappear, they knew you were here." There was a flurry of motion and Nessie having a panicked conversation on the phone with her mother. We had to move fast.

"Jake, we've only got the three bikes." Embry said. "We need something else for one of the others."

"We don't have time." I snapped. "It'll take too long to run."

"The airport?" Kate suggested.

"Do you guys have enough control to be in a tin can for a few hours?" I asked.

They glanced at Garret and I took that as a no. "Alright, Embry, I want you to take Tanya and fly out. I'll give you information for Jasper's card."

"That's okay, we'll use mine." Tanya said. "We'll meet you in San Antonio."

I nodded. "Leah, Nessie, load up the bikes." I turned to Garret. "Do you know how to ride a motorcycle?"

"No, but I'm a quick study." Garret said.

I nodded. "Works for me." Embry nodded to me and he and Tanya were out the door in the next second. "Leah, explain to Garret and Kate how to use the bike, I'm going to check us out. Ness, hon, I love you, but for the love of god, don't leave without one of them with you."

She nodded and kissed my cheek as I darted out the door. As calmly as possible I checked us out, stating that we were in a hurry. The Manager handed us back the money that we would have spent on the next two nights and I made my way back to the bikes. Garret and Kate were already mounted on theirs, as was Leah on the one that she and Embry had been using. Nessie was on the phone. She looked at me and smiled.

"Well?" I asked.

"Mom and Jasper are setting up shop in San Antonio. Mom is all kinds of panicked, but Jasper is keeping her calm." she said, tucking the phone between her breasts. " Jasper said to make it as fast as possible and gave me the address." She reached up and rested her hand on my cheek, sending me the information we needed. Perfect. "They'll pick up Tanya and Embry when they get there. Embry called and said that Tanya had made arrangements on the way there. They made it without any problems. Their flight leaves in an hour."

"Good. Lets get the hell out of here." I said. I swung onto the bike and kicked it to live. Ness climbed on behind me and I nodded to the others, who had already started their bikes. We were gone. Garret led the way. He was familiar with this area and knew his way around.

Ness kept up a constant stream of the traffic approaching us. Outside of the two bloodsuckers with us, I couldn't sense any others. It looked like we were in the clear.

Personally, I would have preferred to turn and fight, but I knew we didn't have the manpower and without Bella, we didn't have the ability to block their mental attacks. In this case, a retreat was safer.

* * *

JasPOV

When Nessie called me, I nearly panicked myself. She relayed everything that was said and done and when she hung up, I could hear the roar of the motorcycles in the background. They were coming. They would be here in eleven hours or less. I didn't know much about Garret, but he struck me as a military minded man and wouldn't care about human laws when it came to getting his family to safety. I was glad that Kate and Tanya considered Nessie their family. It kept her and the wolves safe.

I was more worried about Tanya and Embry. He called me the moment they were in the air from the payphone on the plane. He explained that there was more vampires on that flight than Tanya, but he didn't think that the vamp would do anything. He wasn't sure that it was one that was after them. Tanya was worried, cause she knew as well. He was trying to keep her as calm as possible. They would be landing soon and I was going to get them personally. I only hoped that the vampire with them was an ally and not an enemy. Bella had been making phone calls since we arrived at the hotel. She hadn't even taken the time to take a shower yet. I wasn't much better, but at least I had washed the dust and shit off.

"Bella, why don't you take some time to settle down and get changed?" I suggested. She shot me a glare and I could feel her worry and fear flow like tides. There was no way she would be able to calm down until her daughter and Jake were back in her arms, safe and sound.

Bella finally put the phone down and rested her head on the table. She was emotionally exhausted. She didn't know how to deal with this kind of stressed and it was amplified from what she had experienced.

That's when her phone rang again. The look on her face when she saw the caller ID told me exactly who it was. Aro was calling her.

"What?" She asked, her snarl barely contained.

"_Ciao, Bella. It's -"_

"I'm very well aware of who it is, Aro, what do you want?" She asked.

The sound of her voice send a thrill down my spine. She was all kinds of pissed and I could think of nothing more than bending her over the table.

"_We've received some very unfortunate information from one of our Guard members that has recently come across your coven." _Aro said. You could all but hear the sneer in his voice.

"Really?" Bella asked. "And what information would that be?"

"_That you have several other vampires with you. Not merely Jasper and yourself."_

"Several, eh?" Bella asked, rolling her eyes. I smirked. "Aro, the only other vampire traveling with us is my daughter. She decided that she wanted to spend some time with me traveling. There are only three of us." Oh, she was lying through her teeth. She was so much better at it now that she was a vampire.

"_Really? That isn't what you told my Guard members." _Aro said, calling her out.

She smirked, but I could see her unoccupied hand clenching tight in her barely contained rage. "You're wrong, Aro. I don't know what your little pets told you, but there are only two full vampires here. Jasper and I. Yes, we have Reneesme's Mate's pack with us, but last time I checked, they didn't fall under your jurisdiction."

That gave him pause. "_You are correct in that …" _He muttered. "_Isabella, I would like for your coven to come visit us in Volterra. I mean the entire Whitlock coven, and that would include your companion's friends Peter and Charlotte as well."_

She shot me a slightly panicked look and I held out my hand for the phone.

"One moment." Bella said, holding out the phone. "Jasper would like to speak to you."

I took the phone and rested a hand on Bella's shoulder, sending her calm.

"Aro?"

"_Jasper_." He replied. "_Isabella said you had something to say_."

"We will be there within the week, with the exception of Renesmee." I told him. "She has responsibilities here. Her mate, as well as his pack, need her. She can't leave them for any length of time and I know you don't want five horse sized, odiferous dogs with short tempers in the Castle. Peter, Charlotte, Isabella, and I will be there. We just have a few things to wrap up here."

"_Of course. I shall have Edward and Alice meet you in Florence in 7 days_?" He asked, positively gleeful.

"Not Edward or Alice." I told him. "Isabella is still in a fragile state and can't handle another confrontation like that so soon after the first, and certainly not with so many humans around. No, if you must send someone, then send one of the other guard members. If not, we will rent a car and make our way there ourselves."

"_Be sure of it, Jasper. We will find you if you do not comply_." He said.

Bella and I smirked. "Of course."

I hung up the phone and threw it on the table. "Bella, why don't you go get cleaned up and try to settle down." I suggested again. "I need to go get Tanya and Embry from the Airport. The others will be here sometime tomorrow. It'll be fine. Don't worry, Querida. This will end."

She nodded and rested her hand on mine. "Thank you, Jasper. For everything. For putting up with me, my insanity, the hot and cold … well, thank you."

I smirked and leaned down, kissing her neck. "Don't worry so much about it, Mi Compeñero. You're stuck with me for eternity." I nipped at the skin and made my way to my clothes. She glanced at me before grabbing her own clothes and dashing for the bathroom.

I chuckled to myself as I changed and pulled on my boots and jacket. "I'll be back in a bit." I called to her. I sincerely hoped that the vampires following Embry and Tanya were friendly.

I started the Mustang that Bella and I had bought when we'd arrived here. We had left the bike with the others and took off on foot because it was faster. All of the warlords I'd made contact with had agreed to help, as long as they got their slice of the pie. The Amazons and Nahuel and Huilen had agreed as well, and were working on getting the rest of the covens in South America to help us. Nahuel would be able to block Alice, so as long as they all traveled with him, I wasn't concerned with them being found out. I had made sure to tell them that, as well. The Amazons had taken Huilen and Nahuel into the coven after the last fight. That had shocked me a bit.

I had stopped in to talk to Maria again on our way north. She and the other warlords had had a meeting. All of the warlords had attended. They'd settled on a peace treaty, for now. No lands would be claimed until after the war with the Volturi was over. She and a few of the other older warlords had agreed to be the ones to draw the Volturi attention. They had also settled on numbers depending on skill level. Seeing how well they worked together when they had a common enemy made me wonder if this wasn't the catalyst to the end of the Southern Wars on the whole.

To be honest, I almost wished that James and Victoria were still alive. It would do well to have them with us in this. James could help us track down the vampires that could help us, and Victoria would be able to tell us if there was a means of escape if it became necessary. It's too bad that they had decided to make my mate their next meal.

I found Tanya and Embry's gate quickly and leaned against a post away from the sun. I kept my eyes trained on where they would exit, hoping to see the other vampire first to get a read on who it was.

Tanya and Embry came out of the gate first. She led him over to me, knowing that his senses would be slightly dulled due to overexposure to vampires. He wouldn't have been able to pinpoint me.

"Has the other one come out yet?" I asked.

Tanya shook his head. "We couldn't even get a read on where he was on the plane. I think his ability might be to hide from others. The only reason we knew he was there was because Embry could smell him."

I watched the people streaming by. I caught sight of a mess of just too perfect hair. When the woman next to him moved just right I could see the marble hard skin. He met my eye and grinned. He turned to walk over to us with a jovial smile on his face. "I thought I might find you if I followed the dog." he said.

I went on alert. "And who might you be?"

"My name is Blake." He said, hiking his bag a little higher on his shoulder in a very human move. "I would tell you what my power is, but to be honest, I have no clue what it is. I just know I have one. I heard a rumor through the underground that you were working to gather up vamps that were willing to go up against the Volturi. I want to help."

"And why is that?" I inquired. I should have known that someone would make a comment to the underground. The fact that it had taken this long for them to contact me was shocking enough.

"Because the covens I represent aren't exactly happy with the Volturi and their new restrictions." he laughed. "They sent me to make contact with you to let you know that as soon as you give me a date and location, they'll be ready to move."

"So you'll be with us for a while."

"Only until you confirm a date." Blake looked like he was being completely honest. I didn't know if I could trust him or not. I wasn't reading anything from him but happiness and admiration, with a little lust for Tanya. That wasn't unexpected.

"Alright." I told him.

I didn't ask any more questions as we turned to walk out of the airport. I put Tanya in the front with me, much to her dismay, and Embry in the back. I looked in the rearview as I started the engine.

"Blake," I said, smirking. "I hope you're being honest with me. You really don't want to have the Major hunting you down."

"Jasper!" Tanya yelped.

I shot her a smirk as I pulled out into traffic. I wasn't joking. If he did anything to put my coven in danger, I didn't care who his mate was, he was a dead man.

* * *

BPOV

I took my shower and changed into clean clothes like Jasper suggested, hoping that it would calm my nerves. The Kids were in danger. I wanted them to be here, where I could protect them. Yeah, the shower wasn't working.

I paced the room as I waited. Jasper wasn't back yet.

Something was wrong. Something had to be wrong.

I continued to pace.

The clicking of the door handle alerted me to someone's arrival. The scent was Jasper's. I could smell Embry, Tanya, and an unknown as well.

Jasper opened the door and a heady wave of calm washed over me, allowing me to settle down. He walked over and wrapped his arms around me.

"Bella, are you alright?"

"The kids." I murmured. "The kids aren't safe. I need them here. Jasper, I need my kids here, now."

He held me tight. "They'll be here soon. They have Garret and Kate with them. Jake isn't going to let anything happen to Nessie. They'll be alright, Querida. Embry's here. Embry is safe. He'll be the first to know if anything happens. You know that."

I looked up and saw Embry sitting on the end of one of the beds, watching me with worry in his eyes. I went to him immediately. He wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled into my chest and neck.

"I'm okay, Mama. They will be too. Jake will bring them home safe." Embry murmured.

One of my babies was safe. The others would be here soon.

Jasper fed me a steady wave of calm while we waited.

He said he would explain the new guy when the others got here. For now, all I knew was that his name is Blake.

* * *

Leah POV

I was at the back of the pack. The male Leech was leading us through the desert. Jake trusted him implicitly. I didn't quite get it myself, but I wasn't about to say anything. We needed to get to San Antonio before something bad happened.

I knew it was a stupid idea, tempting fate, but the truth was prevalent.

Once we reached the city limits sign, I breathed a sigh of relief. We would be safe soon.

It wasn't hard to pick up Jasper's scent. It was all over the damn city. He and Bella must have run in from Mexico and made their way to a hotel. It wasn't all that surprising, given Bella's penchant for human habits, but with that, I assumed they would have gotten a car or something as soon as they were out of the recesses of the Amazon.

The Male Leech led us to a shabby hotel on the outskirts of town. I didn't quite understand why they decided to get rooms in dumps. Jasper, I knew, had enough money to fund a third world country. I made a mental note to ask him later.

We killed the engines on the bikes and I could pick up the scents of Bella, Embry, Jasper, and a couple other Leeches. Jake led us to one of the rooms and before he could even reach for the door, he and Nessie were pulled inside by a very happy, very sparkly Bella.

We followed them in, The vampires moving a little quicker than the rest of us, given that it was near daylight. The humans weren't stirring yet, but there were always your early risers.

Bella made her rounds, checking us over and making sure that we were all okay. I knew that she, like any wolf mother, wouldn't be satisfied until she was completely and one hundred percent sure that her cubs were completely fine. She didn't spare the other vampires more than a cursory glance while she checked Jake, Nessie, and I over.

Jasper nodded to Jake as they held a quiet conversation while Bella was fussing over the rest of us. Apparently, things weren't going nearly as well as planned. The Leech Leaders were demanding the presence of Jasper's coven in Italy. He very nearly forced them to take Nessie with them, though Jasper had apparently smooth talked them out of that one. It looked like we would be bunking down again and waiting them out.

Terrific.

I took a survey of the people in the room. Most of them were vampires, of course. The leeches that had traveled with us were talking to the one that was sent with Embry. Embry was talking in hushed tones with Nessie while Jake, Jasper, and Bella tried to come up with at least a cursory plan.

In the corner of the room was one more leech. I didn't quite understand why he was here. I was certain that Jasper didn't want any more leeches with us that absolutely necessary. Especially for them to be around while we were forming plans. There weren't enough of us wolves to spread among the world, not without Sam's pack thrown in the mix.

Jasper looked over that the kid in the corner and called all attention to himself. "Alright guys, we have a minor problem."

This was going to be difficult.

* * *

A/c: And there you have it. Everything is in motion. All things will, eventually, be explained, of course. I'm no where near finished with it.

Epic thanks to my reviewers. I love you all. I'm hoping we can breech 250 with this chapter, but I don't care either way. I'll still be posting chapter 11 as soon as it's done.

And for the record, while i'm not quite to that point in writing the plot yet, as far as consecutive chapters go, I do have a rough draft of the final battle done. ; )

leggy freak003


	11. Chapter 10

A/n: And here we are. I'm sorry that it took this long to update. Between my friends, my family, and Bleach (the anime, not the detergent), I've been a little distracted. But upon further review of what I have written, I've decided that the end of this chapter is just far too good for me to taint with further writing, so here you have it.

D/c: If I owned twilight, things would have been VERY different.

Chapter 10

* * *

Jasper POV

"What do you mean you have to go to Italy?" Embry asked.

I sighed and rested my hand against my forehead. This was the third time they'd asked this question.

"Aro called. We're due in Italy within the next week. Now, I still have to call Peter and Char and let them know what's going on." I told them. "I'm going to have to have them fly down with Seth so that he's not running around by himself. I don't want any of us left alone. As of now, all plans are on hold. I'm calling all of our other groups and telling them to put down in one spot and just sit there until I contact them. When I get back, I'm going to send you, Embry, to Death Valley with the Denalis. Leah, you're going to fly out to meet with Rose and Emmett. Jacob, Nessie, you're going to stay with Bells and Me. But for now, you're going to stay here. They don't, can't, know where you are. The wolves prevent that. None of you vampires are allowed to leave without one of the wolves with you."

Bella turned to look at me with a frown on her face, her head cocked to the side. "What are they supposed to do, just sit around and twiddle their thumbs?"

I frowned. She had a good point. Cages led to insanity, something she knew first hand. She'd spent so long in that damned box …

"Bells, it'll be fine." Jake said. "We'll make due. You can't exactly skip out on this meeting, not if we want to do what it is we've set out to do."

She frowned at him and sighed. "If you insist." She turned to me. "Do you want me to go call Char and Peter and let them know to take the next flight down here? We need to leave as soon as possible."

I nodded and tossed her my phone. She walked into the bathroom and dialed.

I turned to the others and introduced Blake officially.

* * *

Bella POV

With half an ear on Jasper's little announcement about the new guy, I dialed Peter's number. I knew that this was going to be a widely irritating conversation, simply because it was Peter, but it had to be done. Aro had been informed that the four of us would be in Italy within the week.

"_Hola, hermanita_." He said. I could hear the grin in his voice. How irritating.

"What is it with you Whitlock Men and using Spanish when I have no idea what you're say?" I asked him, frowning.

"Just in our nature, Little Sister." Peter said. "We did spend a lot of time in Mexico. We don't even realize we do it half the time. What'cha need?"

"You need to fly down with Seth." I told him. "You, Char, Jasper, and I have a date with the dead ones in a week. We really can't miss it."

"Oh, that." He said with a sigh. "Yeah, we're actually in the airport, now. We'll be there in about six hours. We were well north, into the wilderness when I got my little flash of intuition about what was going on. Irritating that. Took us several hours to get back to civilization."

"As long as you're en route." I told him.

"I don't like this, Bella." He told me. "The Major and you alone going into that castle is a very bad idea. Add me to the mix and it's a total fuck-all."

"Char's just a bystander?"

"Her ability isn't of any use to them. They'd have to keep her alive and in the guard to keep me from throwing myself on a pyre, because for her, I would, but otherwise, she's of no consequence to them." He went silent for a moment. "Bella, make sure Jazz-man tells Garret to keep an eye on that Blake guy. I don't trust him, and you shouldn't either."

"Understood."

"I'll see you in a little while." And he hung up. I rolled my eyes and snapped the phone closed. I stepped out into the bedroom and saw that all those that could sleep, were. Kate and Garret had stepped out and were arranging to get a separate room. Tanya was sitting at the table in the corner with Blake, chatting away. Actually, it was more like flirting. I thought she went for human men …

Jasper was standing at the window, his arms folded behind his back, hands resting on the opposite elbow. He looked at me as I stepped out of the bathroom and motioned for me to join him.

I snuck a look at the kids as I made my way over. Jake was curled around Nessie, holding her tightly to his chest. Embry and Leah lay back to back on the other bed, and Jake and Embry were snoring softly in tandem.

I came to Jasper's side and he wrapped his arm around my waist, and held me against his chest. He rested his chin on my shoulder and inhaled deeply. "Jasper, what are you doing?"

"Getting my fill of the solitude before all hell breaks louse." He murmured against my ear. "Before you either refuse my touch, or we haven't the time to take a moment together."

I shook my head. "I'm confused, Jasper."

"About what, Querida?"

"What it is I'm feeling." I told him. "What's going on in my head. I have this feeling that screams at me from the back of my mind when I go to do one thing or another. It worries me."

He chuckled against my shoulder and pressed his teeth against the mark on my collar bone. I went almost pliant in his arms. My head fell back on his shoulder and I had to bite back a strangled moan. Just the feel of his teeth dragging along that spot was enough to make me want to do unspeakable and possibly illegal things to this man.

"It's nothing that you should fear." He hissed in my ear, nipping at the outer edge. "Listen to it. It's your instincts telling you what to do, Mi Amada. I will teach you to hone it. It will keep you alive."

"Then what does it mean in regards to you?" I whispered.

I heard a light giggle in the corner of the room, reminding me that Tanya and Blake were still there and perfectly capable of hearing our conversation.

"Bella, I think it's time you and I have a little talk." Tanya giggled, holding her hand against her mouth. "I forgot that you were with Dear Edward for such a very long time. Yes, it is definitely time for us to chat."

She got up and took my hand, dragging me away from Jasper. I heard a growl echo behind me and sent Jasper a pleading look. I did NOT want to go into a room with this woman. I didn't hate Tanya, but she wasn't my favorite person, either.

"Oh, relax, Mr. Possessive." Tanya told him. "We'll only be a minute. Clearly there are some things that Rosalie and the Pixie-stick neglected to tell her about being a female vampire."

"Rosalie wasn't allowed to have a moment alone with her." Jasper said. "Alice refused. Make sure she knows everything, Tanya."

Tanya waved her hand at him. "Relax, Jasper. I know what I'm doing."

She dragged me back into the bathroom and sat me down on the tub while she took the counter. "Exactly what were you told when you were changed?"

"Next to nothing. The basics of surviving. Obviously there were some things that I had to figure out myself. Edward would rather do shit for me than teach me how to do things." I told her.

She nodded. "Got it. Alright, well, what do you know about mates?"

"Not much. Just that they're like a couple."

She sighed. "Mates are so much more than that, Bella." She put a finger to her lips. "I've yet to find mine, of course, but I've watched Eleazar and Carmen for centuries. I watched Irina when she met Laurant. I watched Kate when she met Garret. Its … instantaneous. Mates go together like … well, blood and vampires, I guess. Once a mate is found, they can never be separated."

Great, I was getting a birds and a bees speech from a woman that spent most of her existence perpetuating the succubus legends. "Basically, soul mates."

Tanya nodded. "I've heard it described so many different ways. Knowing our mates is instinctual. We're drawn to that person. Only they can make us whole. They balance us. It's Yin and Yang, if you understand my meaning."

I nodded. "I understand."

She smiled and bit down on her nail. "Thank God, because I'm doing a horrible job explaining this." She tilted her head. "You said that you have the voice yelling at you in the back of your head. What is it telling you?"

I shook my head. "It's not a voice, per se, but a feeling. Just a niggling little feeling that's been driving me nuts."

"Give me an example." Tanya told me, her eyes alight with curiosity.

My hand, without any conscious command from my brain, went to Jasper's mark on my neck. "When Jasper marked me is the best example I can think of. I took a shower the next morning. Something told me not to, but I did anyway, and I wasn't comfortable again until he touched me. I'm just … drawn to him. It was never like this with Edward. I just can't stay away from him."

Tanya smiled at me. "Sounds familiar. I spent years with Carmen and Eleazar. Carmen compared it to the bloodlust once. It's necessary. Kate said she felt something similar when she and Garret met. It's like a compulsion to be with that person. I'm certain that the love isn't instant, that that's something that grows, but the need to be with that person is the first thing you feel."

I nodded and continued to listen.

Tanya kept talking and I took it all in. She told me about everything that I could possibly need to know about being a female vampire. Some things I already knew just from listening to Rosalie bitch, or just from watching the family, but there were some things, like the mating stuff, that I didn't know, because no one saw fit to inform me. She told me that female vampires, while physically weaker than male vampires, were more vicious. I had noticed it myself, to be honest. Where Jasper kept a level head in some situations, I was always on edge. I wanted to jump into the fight and decimate those that threatened my family.

When we finished our talk I walked out of the bathroom and walked over to Jasper again. He pulled me against him and buried his nose in my neck.

"You're beginning to understand?" he asked, to quiet for anyone but me to hear.

I nodded slowly. "Jasper, you have to understand where I'm coming from." I told him. "I've had my life torn from under my feet. I'm certainly not stable enough for anything serious."

"I'm a very patient man, Isabella." Jasper said. "I can wait for as long as you need." I felt him tense behind me. His hands clenched in my shirt and he pulled me closer. "Just … let me touch you. Be with you. That's all I ask. I need to be able to put my hands on you. I need to be able to hold you."

I smiled to myself. "I can handle that much." I told him, leaning into his embrace.

Jasper took a deep breath and nuzzled his nose into my hair. "You'll see, soon enough, Bella."

I turned my head slightly and leaned it against his in a type of embrace. Were I in my right mind, I could easily fall in love with this man. I was broken. It took me back to the dark days, when Edward left me the first time. There were spaces of time when I just barely maintained control. This trip to Italy was going to be the real test to my control. Would I be able to keep myself in line long enough to face the man I so desperately wanted to kill, or would I snap and blow our whole plan to bits?

It was like being a newborn all over. Any second, I could snap.

* * *

Jasper POV

My poor Isabella. She was so lost, so broken. I wished there were an easy fix for this. She was in so much pain. She hid it well, from the others, but she could never hide it from me. Not from an Empath. She held it together for the kids, and for the others that relied on us so desperately, but she was starting to crack under the pressure. I had a feeling that she and I, when all of this was over, would be taking a very long, very secluded vacation away from everyone and everything. She needed time to come to terms with everything that had happened, and she wasn't going to be able to do it with responsibility pushing down on her.

I looked up at the clock. Peter and Charlotte wouldn't get in for some time. Tanya and Blake were here and could easily protect the kids. I could feel Bella starting to sag against me. It was difficult for vampires to get tired, but it was possible. Bella's power burned a lot of blood if she was holding it around others. She needed to feed.

"Tanya." I called softly. The female perked up and looked at me.

"I'm taking Bella hunting." I told her. "Watch the kids."

Tanya nodded and turned back to Blake.

I didn't know what to think about their relationship. I could feel a bond growing between them, but I wasn't sure what it was.

Bella followed without much of a fight. We could both use something, to be honest.

I slid into the driver's side of the car and peeled out of the driveway as soon as Bella was in the seat next to me. Because of the area we chose, we had to be careful about hunting. We would be lucky to find anything. It was why the southern covens were human killers. The kids would definitely need to move on soon.

We found a descent spot, well outside town, that was thickly wooded. I would be happy when we could move north again. The Canadian wilderness was sounding really nice right about now.

Bella met me back at the car after her kill. She was looking a little better. I could see some of that fiery attitude that I'd seen back in Michigan and Forks coming back to her. Ever since we'd come back from Brazil, she'd receded into the person she'd been before, constantly seeking approval. It didn't make much sense, and the mood whiplash was driving me nuts.

"Are you better now?" I asked her.

"I'm fine." Bella told me, her voice hard. "I'm just not liking the idea of this trip. Aro can read your mind with a simple brush of the hand, but I can't block him from you completely because then they'll know we have something to hide, and we don't have enough time to experiment with my shield."

I frowned. That was a problem. If the Brothers know that we're hiding something, it gives them enough reason to destroy us then and there. We could probably make it out of the castle, if I dropped every one of them, but we'd never make it out of the city, let alone the country, alive. They held too much influence with the Italian government.

"On the other side of it," Bella continued, "We could use our time there to see what their numbers look like, what new powers they've got, and if we have any allies in his ranks."

She really was thinking a mile a minute. Her emotions were a mix of worry, nerves, and anger. It was her usual cocktail anymore. I would be happy and relieved when I felt some sort of joy coming from her again. Ever since we were separated … well, it hadn't been pretty.

She looked up at me with doe eyes. "Jazz, can we stay out here for a bit? I love the kids, but I don't want to go back yet. These hotels are starting to feel like a prison."

I nodded. "Sure thing."

I slid onto the hood of the car and leaned back against the windshield. I felt Bella curl up to my side and I smiled. I closed my eyes and just let my mind wander. Given our situation, it wasn't surprising when my mind took me back to that day.

_I looked up as I heard the yelling. What the hell was going on now?_

"_Carlisle! Edward! We have a problem!" Alice screeched._

_I made my way out of my room, only to meet Bella, Nessie, and Jake in the hall. They all looked at me in confusion as we made our way down to the living room. I could only shrug. I had no clue what the little bitch was screaming about. I only cared if it directly affected the family. If this was some stupid fashion emergency, I was going to burn her._

_When we made it to the living room, what we saw would have stopped our hearts if they were still beating. Carlisle was standing with his hand braced against the mantle with his back to us while Edward stared at Alice, horror struck. What the hell had we missed._

"_What's going on?" Bella asked._

_Edward looked over at her and held out his hand. She was at his side in an instant and he held her close. Esme, Emmett, Rose, and the other wolves slowly made their way into the room when Carlisle called them. He and Edward took a moment to regain their composure before they addressed us._

"_The Volturi is coming back." Edward said. "They'll be here in three days."_

"_What?"_

"_That's insane."_

"_When the hell did that happen?"_

_Only Bella and I remained quiet as the others in the room launched into panic mode. I was ready to run for the hills before I managed to regain enough control to send out a massive wave of calm. All eyes landed on me for only a second, some grateful, others irritated, before they settled in for the long discussion._

_I looked between Edward and Alice. "Are either of you going to explain why we didn't have advance notice of this?" I asked them. "The decision to move the entire guard isn't one that's made lightly, and certainly not without a lot of planning. We know for a fact that they're not going to come after our coven without numbers, so how is it this is the first we're hearing of it, three days before it happens."_

_Alice looked up at me with tired, angered eyes. Disgust and Rage rolled off of her in waves as she stared me down. "I didn't catch it until now. I don't know how I missed it, but they're decision to come here just slammed into me." Liar._

_I kept my mouth shut. It didn't matter if I called her out on it or not. We weren't going to walk away from this fight unscathed like we did last time. We didn't have enough time._

_Edward shot me a dirty look. "What are you talking about?" He asked. Should figure he kept his mouth shut as well. "No, I just would have caught it if she had." Whatever._

"_What I'm talking about is that we only have three days to prepare for this." I told them. "We can't run, because even with Bella covering us from Demitri, she can't hold that shield indefinitely. It takes too much out of her. We can't fight, because they'll overpower us and win. So what choice does that leave us with? We aren't coming out of this whole."_

_Silence blanketed the room and emotions run rampant. Bella was clinging to Edward for dear life, knowing that there was a chance that she would be separated from him in three days. All of the mated pairs moved closer together at the very thought. _

"_So what do you propose we do?" Carlisle asked._

"_First we'll have to find out what the hell they want." I told him. I looked over at Alice._

"_You know very well that my gift doesn't work that way." Alice snapped at me._

_I snarled. "What are the possible outcomes, you little twit?" _

"_Jasper!" Esme scolded._

"_No, Esme." I told her. "This isn't the time for us to be playing nice and civil. Your family is about to be ripped apart, either figuratively or literally. I don't know about you, but I'm done playing nice."_

_I felt the last of the warm joy leave one of the few beings in the room that I cared about. Bella went emotionally dead in that second. She looked over at Alice and I saw a fire in her eyes that I'd never seen before._

"_Jasper's right." She said, her voice having a heavy impact on the vampires around her. Nessie and the wolves would follow her wherever, but it was the vampires that could leave. "This isn't the time for us to sit and pretend that we're human, because we're not. Niceties are only going to get us killed. Alice, we need to know the outcomes so we can see if we can figure out what it is they want from us. Obviously revenge is one of the goals. We shut them down, and showed them for the cowards that they are. They're not going to take that lightly."_

_Alice nodded and her eyes glazed over. Bella's calm, firm tone, did something that my yelling and growling couldn't. I'd never thought I'd see the day when The Major was out maneuvered by a little girl. I was actually kind of proud._

"_I keep seeing Edward, Bella, and I at Aro's side." Alice said. "And the rest of you dead, with the exception of Jasper."_

"_Do you know how it happens?" I asked._

_She shook her head. "If everything stays as is, and we don't do something soon, then the coven dies. Edward and I will join them willingly, Bella will join because Edward will be all she has left, and you take off south."_

_All eyes landed on me and my phone chose that moment to ring. I pulled it out of my pocket and suppressed the urge to hurl it at a wall. _

_Peter always did have hellatious timing. _

"_What is it, Peter?"_

"_Sorry to bother you in the middle of an important family meeting, Major, but I just got some information from an old acquaintance of ours from Boston." Peter said. I could hear the roar of an engine in the background. "You hear about the new laws yet?"_

"_New laws?" I asked, looking over at Carlisle, who shook his head. "No, we haven't, but given recent events, why don't you tell them to me?"_

"_Volturi just passed down a new law." Peter told me. "No covens over four members. Said that certain covens were starting to make the humans suspicious. Named the Cullen and Denali clans specifically, because you're the two biggest covens outside themselves and the Warlords."_

_I growled. "Fuck."_

"_That's about the sum of it. I got a birdie in my ear says they're on their way to Forks." Peter said. "They're hitting you first and heading north."_

"_We knew they were coming here." I said. "Alice had the vision not thirty minutes ago."_

_I heard him mutter something that sounded suspiciously like 'wouldn't bet on that' too low for the others to hear. _

"_Look, Major, Char and I can't make it there in time. We're on the other side of the country. We'll figure something out later, but just do us, and the rest of the vampire world a favor. DON'T do anything stupid. Take whatever deal they give you."_

_I looked at the others to see them all staring between Carlisle and I, scared. "Sure thing, Peter. I'll talk to you in a couple of days."_

"_I hope like hell we do, Major." Peter said. "We've got a _Major_ storm brewing, and we sure as hell want to be around when it hits. Lord knows its going to be a _Beautiful_ bloodbath."_

_I hated his cryptic shit. I hung up the phone and turned to Carlisle. Carlisle sighed. "Lets start making calls. Jasper, it sounds like we're going to need identities. Jake, I need you to contact Sam and let him know what's going on. Bella, you need to call your father and let him know that he needs to stay on the Reservation as much as possible."_

_We nodded and set to work. Edward and Alice said something about hunting so that Alice could see more clearly. Carlisle let them go._

Bella was leaning over me, looking down at me with those bright gold eyes of hers, when I came out of my memory. "Where did you go?"

"Forks." I told her. "The day our lives went to hell."

She frowned. "I don't want to think about it. I hate that bastard for what he did to us and our family."

I smirked. "But if it hadn't happened, we wouldn't be where we are now."

She glared at me. "Don't start with me, Whitlock."

I sighed. "It'll all be over soon." I looked up at her and pushed waves of sincerity. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you again, Bella. Not if it's within my power to stop."

Bella nodded to me and lay down again, resting her head on my chest. "I just want this to all be over. I want to be able to live without worrying that those bastards are just going to up and decide to kill us one day."

"I know." Jasper said. "This will work. I swear to you. I've never yet failed a mission, and I'm not about to start now."

Bella nodded against my chest and sighed. "I suppose we should get back. Peter and Char shouldn't be too far away and we only have a week to get to Italy."

I nodded and brushed my fingers through her hair. I couldn't help but worry that we were walking to our death. We had Bella's shields, but they wouldn't hold forever. I could only hope that she was up to the task of protecting us while we were behind enemy lines.

* * *

A/n: And there you have it. Should be all kinds of fun.

Epic thanks to all of my readers for the support. Special thanks to my reviewers, who brighten my day every time I see the emails.

See you all next time.

Leggy freak003


	12. Chapter 11

A/n: Sorry this took so long, guys, and that it's so short. I don't know why, but it always takes me forever to write a filler chapter. It drives me insane. Anywho, here's the chapter.

D/c: I can't believe I have to keep putting these in my chapters just to keep my tail out of trouble. *sigh* I don't own Twilight. That honor belongs to SMeyer. For whatever that's worth. If I did own it, things would have turned out a whole lot differently.

Chapter 11

* * *

Bella POV

Jasper was in full tactical mode as he issued orders to the wolves and the other vampires around. No vampire was allowed to go anywhere without a wolf, so they needed to pick one and make nice. Nessie wasn't allowed to leave Jake's side for anything, because Alice could still kind of see her, since she was half vampire.

"I know it's going to feel a little suffocating for a while. "Jasper said, looking at them all. "But I don't know how long we're going to be in Italy, and I'm taking no risks of them sending the Guard after you while we're there."

"We can defend ourselves." Embry muttered stubbornly.

"I didn't say you couldn't." Jasper snapped. "But our gifts affect you, and if they send Alec or Jane, then taking out one of you in wolf form will take out the others, and then you pose no threat."

Embry looked properly chastised and sunk a little further in her chair. He looked over at me looking for a sympathetic party, only to find that my face was stone. I agreed with Jasper. Losing them would be too much.

I looked over at where Blake was sitting with Tanya. Peter said that he wasn't to be trusted. I hadn't told Jasper yet, mostly because I hadn't had a chance to. Peter and Char would be here in an hour. I needed to talk to him soon.

"We have just one more problem." Blake said, leaning forward. "I'm not a vegetarian."

"You'd better learn real quick." Jake told him. "At least for the time being, because I'm not sending any of mine with you to watch you be the monster we fight to destroy."

"Jake," Nessie hissed.

"No, he's right." Jasper said. "We can't afford the attention, Blake. I'm sorry."

Blake frowned and looked as if he was going to say something, but Tanya beat him to it. "I'll help him." She said, smiling brightly.

Blake looked at her in shock. "This kind of thing requires help?"

Tanya simply shrugged a delicate shoulder and rested her head on her hand.

I smirked to myself. "Jasper, are you finished with announcements?"

He nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"I need to talk to you and Tanya for a moment." I told him, looking towards the window to check where the sun was. It looked as if it were setting. Good.

"Sure." Jasper said, nodding towards the door.

The followed me outside, Tanya heaving a sigh as she went. We stepped into the shade under the awning and they both turned to me.

"Peter made a comment to me on the phone that I think you both need to hear." I said, pitching my voice low so that the other vampires back in the building couldn't hear me. "He said something about not trusting Blake."

"Did he say why?" Jasper asked.

I shook my head. "Just that he didn't trust him." I looked at Tanya. "Has he been asking any questions or anything?"

Tanya shook her head. "No. Nothing in particular. Just about me and why I'm a vegetarian, and that kind of thing."

I nodded. "I want you to keep an eye on him, if you will. I know that Jasper trusts Peter implicitly, and I do to. Help him out with the thirst while we're gone. We shouldn't be gone long."

Tanya nodded. "Absolutely." She looked back towards the door. "Was that all?"

I nodded to her and she went back inside. Jasper turned to face me.

"Are you sure about all of this?"

"All I know is what Peter told me, and you know how he is." I sighed.

Jasper nodded. "Alright. I trust you both. Peter's never steered me wrong before." He paused. "Well, there was that one time in Tijuana … Never mind. Anyway, Tanya will keep an eye on him, and I'll say something to Garret and Jake when we leave. I didn't trust him to begin with."

I tilted my head sideways. "Tijuana?"

Jasper shook his head. "Don't ask, cause I'll never tell."

"My question is, how did he know what we were doing." I said. "We haven't exactly been vocal about what we're doing except to certain people."

"One of those people may have gone running their mouth." Jasper said. "As long as word doesn't get back to Volterra, we're fine."

"But it already has." I pointed out. "Before we got to Forks."

Jasper nodded. "Good point. She'd have some idea of our final goal, even if we decided on the how after we met with the wolves."

"We need to be extremely careful while we're there." I muttered. "We can't let them get to us. I need to do some work with layering my shield. See if there's anything I can do with it."

Jasper nodded. We made our way back into the hotel room and Jasper tucked into a corner with Garrett to talk strategy. I decided to lean against the wall and bask in my family's presence. It always seemed we got along best on the brink of destruction.

I watched them, smiling to myself as I watched my kids. They seemed so carefree, even though I could see the tension in their eyes. I looked at Nessie and sighed. Being half vampire made her weaker than full vampires, but kept her stronger than a human. Her physiology was a delicate balance between vampire and human. Everything was cut straight down the middle. The best of both worlds, I supposed. She could eat human food and drink blood, though she preferred the latter to the former. Her eyes were the same color mine had been as a human, but darkened to black over time if she went too long without blood, so we knew that it needed to be staple in her diet. She, however, could go months before she felt even the slightest inkling of a thirst.

Her skin was truly as durable as a vampires. She'd gone through a phase shortly after the first attack by the Volturi where she'd done everything in her power to kill herself, including an attempt to slit her wrist. All she succeeded in doing was damaging the blade. We'd also discovered that her vampire instincts had kicked her human instincts up several notches. Vampires couldn't drown, and neither could Nessie. She breathed, and could drown, if a vampire was the one holding under water, but anything less would simply be thrown off when her body flung itself out of whatever body of water she was in.

I frowned. She couldn't fight. She'd die, no matter how much training she had. She wasn't strong enough to dismember her opponent.

"Nessie can't fight." I blurted out.

All eyes turned to me, and my daughter's darkened as her temper set to boil. "Why can't I? It's my family and freedom we're fighting for, too." She growled.

"None of the half-vamps can." I said, looking over at Jasper. "They're physically, literally, not strong enough. Remember that everything a vampire has is halved by the human traits. Thirst, sparkle, and yes, even strength."

"They'd be slaughtered by their first opponent." Jasper agreed. "I'm sorry, Ness. Nahuel and his sisters, should they join us, wouldn't be allowed to fight either."

Nessie looked between us, mutiny in her eyes. She turned to Jake. "Tell them I can fight! I've been training with you guys for a long time. I can -"

"No." Jake told her. "They're right. You can fight, Ness, but not against full vampires. You can't even detach one of their fingers, let alone a whole limb. I'm sorry, Ness, but I have to agree with your mother on this."

"This isn't FAIR!" Renesmee screamed. "Everyone else gets to fight for our freedom but I can't! This isn't right!" She stomped her foot and clutched her hands into fists at her side. It looked rather familiar.

Jasper rose from his seat and walked over to her, holding out his hand. "Pull off my hand." He said.

Ness looked at his hand in shock for a second and then glanced at his face.

"If you can pull of my hand. The whole hand, from the wrist, then I'll let you fight. If not, then you stand on the sidelines and stay out of the battle, as will the other Damphir." Jasper told her.

Determination colored Nessie's face as she looked back down at his hand. She gripped it and his wrist and pulled with all her strength.

Nothing happened. Jasper's hand remained firmly attached to his arm and Nessie looked up at him in defeat. She sat down again. "Fine." She murmured.

Jasper nodded. "You have considerable strength, Renesmee, but it's not enough to face our kind. I'm sorry. You have to stay out."

"I understand." Renesmee said. She looked down at her hands. "Is there a way for me to change? Become full?"

"If there is, we won't take it." I told her. "Ness, listen to me." I moved and crouched down in front of her. "You are strong, beautiful, and powerful in your own right. It's your safety that we have in mind. I want you to remember that."

Ness nodded and looked up at me. "Don't worry, Mama. I know."

I smiled and nodded, kissing her on the head. I knew here well enough to know that this wouldn't be the end of this fight, but for now, it was over. I straightened up and looked at Jasper. "Peter and Char should be here any minute. We need to be ready to go."

Jasper nodded and picked up our bags, dropping them near the door. This wasn't going to be a fun trip, and what little work we could do with layering my shield, using Kate's ability, had been largely unsuccessful.

"We'll figure it out." Jasper murmured to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and holding me against him. I'd learned quickly not to reject his advances. Not that I wanted too. This whole mate thing was getting to be a little bit confusing.

We all looked up when a knock sounded at the door. Jasper moved immediately, looking through the peep hole in the door before he even reached for the knob.

"Open the fucking door, Major, before the sunlight comes out again." Peter's voice snapped.

Jasper smirked and did as requested without a word. Peter and Charlotte bolted through and Seth took a more leisurely pace. I was immediately on the youngest of my wolves, checking him for injuries and the like, making sure he was okay.

"I'm fine, Mama." Seth said, soothingly. "Peter and Char took real good care of me. Promise."

I smiled and hugged him to me. "I'm glad to hear it."

I let him go and immediately he was wrapped in Leah's arms. I hadn't realized just how worried about her brother she'd been until this point. What kind of mother was I to not notice something like that.

Peter looked over me. "Don't take it too close to heart, Bella. You've been distracted."

I glared at him. "Stop that."

Peter shrugged and turned to Jasper. "We need to get going, now. You know that they're not going to wait for us."

Jasper nodded and turned to Jake and Garret. "Keep them safe, and if we call, you had damn well be better to move on."

Garret nodded. "Should one of us drive you to the airport?"

"Probably a good idea." I said, looking over at my traveling companions. "That way they have all the cars."

Jasper nodded. "Embry, you mind? I know you're itching to get out of here for a bit."

"Sure." Embry said, rising to grab his shoes.

Something told me this was going to be a long fucking trip.

* * *

JPOV

It wasn't several hours later we were mid-flight over the Atlantic. Bella was pretending to sleep in the seat next to me and Peter and Char were in front of us, heads bent together. I leaned my head back and tried to block out the massive amounts of lust that the humans were pushing our way. Even the married ones were staring at their respective gendered vampires in envy.

"Realx." Bella murmured at vampire speed. "If you look tense, then the humans are going to think that something's wrong."

"Excuse me if I have a problem with people looking at my mate and sister as if they were nothing more than sex dolls." I hissed back.

Bella smiled. "You take things way to seriously. Char is gorgeous, and even I look like a goddess compared to human women. Just leave it be."

I suppressed a growl. Even after all this time, she still thought herself ordinary. It made me wonder how we'd missed it all this time. "You look like a goddess compared to any female." I murmured back. I caught Char looking over the back of her seat with a smirk on her lips. I knew that look. Something told me there was a very uncomfortable conversation to be had when we landed.

"You're biased." Bella told me.

"Would you like me to prove you wrong?" I asked.

"I'm not joining the mile high club with you." Bella responded, cracking an eye to glare at me. I noted that her eyes were getting dark. They shouldn't be, what with her having only just fed.

"Are you still shielding the others back home?" I hissed, turning to face her fully.

"So what if I am?" She asked. "I'm worried about the kids. I don't want anything happening to them while we're gone."

"Nothing is going to happen to them." I growled. "They're more than capable of defending themselves and Renesmee, added to the fact that I sincerely doubt that Garret is going to let anything happen to Ness or her family. It's taking too much out of you, Isabella. If you were feeding on humans it wouldn't be as draining but you're a vegetarian. Holding your shields from this distance is going to be too taxing. They'll be fine. The wolves blind Alice and there's no way that they can know where the kids are. Let the shield drop and worry about us for now. We need you at full strength in Volterra."

She opened her eyes fully and directed her glare at me. "Are you telling me I can't protect our kids?"

I didn't miss that she'd called them ours. "No, I'm saying for the time that we're in enemy territory, you need to focus on protecting us. We're useless to them if we don't get out of here alive."

Bella closed her eyes again and when she opened them, there was more gold than black. "Fine, but I'm calling them when we land."

"Fine."

She rolled her head to the other side and closed her eyes again and I knew that she wasn't going to be speaking to me for the rest of the flight. She was more than a little pissed at me for having told her to release the kids. I could feel that clear enough, even though anger was a staple part of her usual cocktail. It had intensified and it was all directed at me.

Peter glanced over his shoulder and I could feel the absolute glee rolling off of him. As usual, he knew something and wasn't telling. Char was feeling devious. I wanted to smack both of their heads together.

I settled in and pulled out my MP3 player. It was going to be a long flight.

* * *

BPOV

How _dare_ he tell me I couldn't keep my shields wrapped around my kids. They were over there, alone and unprotected. I understood that they could protect themselves but this Pack Mother thing was kicking into overdrive and I just wanted to protect. I wondered idly if this was how Esme had felt to every one of us. I was so angry with Jasper that I couldn't even look at him.

We'd been in flight a couple more hours when I smelt the stewardess approach. I cracked an eye, imperceptibly, and watched as she leaned over Jasper with a coy smile, all but shoving her tits in his face.

"Can I get you anything?" She asked huskily.

"No, I'm fine." Jasper told her, giving her that smirk that made a girl's panties drop.

"Are you certain?" She asked.

Jasper nodded and I shifted, as if sleeping, and rested my head on his shoulder. I caught the annoyed look on the stewardess' face as she watched me do so.

"Is she bothering you, Sir?" The woman asked sweetly. "I can do something about it."

"No," Jasper said, "My wife is tired. She's had a very long and stressful week at home with the kids. Now that their Aunt got there to take care of them, she's getting her rest before we start our week in Italy."

I could almost hear the pout when he called me his wife. What I couldn't stop was the minor thrill of pleasure that rolled through me at the thought. I'm not sure if that was my own attraction to him or if it was the mating bond. I didn't understand it.

"Alright then, I'll just leave you to it then." The woman said, and I listened as her heels clicked away to deal with another passenger.

"Jealous?" Jasper asked.

"No." I told him.

"Why are you lying to me?" Jasper asked, leaning over to hiss in my hear.

"Because I wouldn't want to stroke your ego." I murmured back.

He gave a deep chuckle that made the muscles in my womb clench. "_Mi Amada_, you do that simply by looking at me."

That. Prick. I kept my mouth shut. He was just pissing me off more and more. I could see Peter's hand attached firmly to the front of his face while Char sat with only a serene smile on her face, as if oblivious. They weren't fooling anyone. I knew for a fact that they found the conversations between Jasper and I hilarious. Bastards.

I smirked when I got a devious idea.

"Don't even think about it, Isabella." Peter hissed at vampire speed. "You won't like the consequences of your actions."

"Why, cause you and Char aren't afraid of fucking in public?" I asked, sweetly.

"No, because Jasper has to have direct contact to only effect certain people." Peter told me, smirking. "So if you have him do that, then the whole plane goes into one big orgy."

I frowned and sat up in my seat. Well that was no fun. I turned to look at Jasper who was smirking at me. "What?" I asked.

He leaned over right next to my ear, nibbling on it as he spoke. "Peter's a little dense," He hissed low enough for only me to hear. "He doesn't realize that I have more control over my gift than I did a century ago. Apparently, his little gift only gives him need to know information."

I giggled and reached up, resting my hand on the side of his neck. Peter and Char both turned to look at us, as did several others. Jasper's teeth ran over the skin just behind my ear and I couldn't help the breathy hiss that escaped.

The stewardess stepped up next to us. "Sir, I have to ask you and your lovely wife to settle down. That kind of behavior isn't allowed on the plane."

Jasper sent her a winning smile that I had never seen him use before and nodded. "Sorry, Ma'am." His accent was a little heavier that it had been the first time she came around. "I'll try to control myself."

The woman nodded and walked away. I looked up at Jasper and smirked.

Jasper rested a hand on the back of Peter's chair and I suddenly heard hisses seethe from him and Char.

"You son of a bitch." Peter growled.

"You asked for it." Jasper told him. "And now you'll have to suffer, cause you can't do anything until we land. Without the humans noticing."

"I fucking hate you, Jasper." Peter snapped at him at vampire speed. "I really fucking hate you."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Jasper said, pulling away.

"Peter…" Charlotte hissed.

I grinned to myself and snuggled against Jasper's shoulder. Now the ride was getting interesting. I couldn't wait till we landed in Italy. It was going to be a quick trip. We had work to do.

"Now that's something I haven't felt in a while." Jasper told me, kissing the top of my head.

"What's that?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Any form of happiness coming from you. Not glee, not joy, not cheer. It's all been negative." He told me. "I'm glad to see it's still possible to make you even a little happy."

I looked up into his eyes with a smile. "Don't worry so much, Jas." I told him. "I'll be fine once everything is taken care of."

Jasper smiled and kissed my forehead this time. "I know."

I settled in and watched as Char and Peter fidgeted in their seats, giggling to myself. I still didn't quite get this whole 'mate' thing, completely. I was getting whiplash from the mood swings between the two of us. I only hoped that I would get a chance to talk to char about it … once Peter was done fucking her brains into a hotel bed, that is.

For now, there was still Volterra ahead of us, and something told me that it was going to be interesting, to say the least.

* * *

A/n: Gods, this chapter gave me so much trouble. It didn't want to come out. This is why I HATE filler chapters. They just take too damn long and they never come out sounding right. Unfortunately, it's a tool of the trade that is completely necessary to get from one point to the other. Next time on RISE, REBEL, RESIST: Volterra and the Volturi.

It's gonna be fun.

Of course, a huge thanks to all my reviewers, new and returning. I know that I noticed a few new names in my inbox and let me tell you that I was ecstatic. I love seeing new reviewers. Thanks for sending me your opinions folks, I love reading them.

And for those of you that asked about Bella telling Jasper about Blake, have a little patience, will you? I told you, I don't give spoilers. If I leave something out, it's either intentional, I forgot about it, or it's coming later. Deal with it. :P

I'll see you all next time, folks.

Leggy freak003


	13. Chapter 12

A/n: I know, I'm a cuntpire for not updating in so long. I know a lot of you are going to either hate me or love me for this chapter. It's a kind of trade off. You'll understand why as you read. The Ending Author's note contains an explanation as to why things fell the way they did.

Thanks to my Beta, who's finally back on board, WiccanLoveley, who used to be Snow-White-Queen-89, or something along those lines. Now that she's back on board, my spelling and grammar should improve, though I sincerely doubt it. I use Word Works Processor, She uses Microsoft Office 07. Her program HATES me. :D

D/c: HA! I wish I owned this crap. Would have went way differently, and I'd be rich and not working for Hell~Mart (read: Wal~Mart).

* * *

Volturi Castle, Volterra, Italy

AlicePOV

Aro was brooding again. He did that an awful lot lately. This whole thing with Isabella and Jasper was getting out of hand. There were some days where I wish my involvement was optional. There were days I damned the Fates for dealing the cards this way.

"Alice, come forward." Caius called out as he and Marcus took their seats on either side of Aro. I stepped from my place along the walls and moved to kneel in front of my leaders.

"My Masters?" I asked, bowing my head low.

"We wish to know what you see, Child." Aro said. "Tell us what you see regarding the movements of the Whitlock Coven."

I blinked slowly and searched the future. "They are on a plane bound for Firenze as we speak, My Lord. They will spend the day in a hotel there before setting out for our fair city in the evening."

"Why do they not travel here directly?" Caius snarled.

I had to fight my grin at what Jasper had done to Peter and Charlotte. "Their companions, Peter and Charlotte are in need of some … personal time together, because of a prank pulled on them by Jasper in an effort to cheer Isabella up."

"What do you mean, Alice?" Aro asked.

"Jasper fed both Peter and Charlotte lust because Peter was teasing Isabella." Alice explained. "It's to the point where they'll barely make it to a room before they attack each other. It really is best if they wait until Peter and Charlotte are done before they come here."

Aro looked at his brothers and they nodded to him. "Very well. We'll give them one more day before we force them to come here. You may return to your position."

I nodded and rose to my feet, backing away from them. I didn't give them all the information I'd received. Something told me that they wouldn't be too thrilled about what I knew would happen between Jasper and Isabella. Especially not with the plans that they were laying for the Whitlock Coven.

Edward shot me a look that told me that we would be talking at some point this evening.

Gods this was getting out of hand.

* * *

JPOV

Bella was all but doubled over laughing at Peter and Charlotte as they tried walking out of the terminal. It was taking every ounce of self control they had not to jump each other right then and there. I took care of checking in with our passports and going through customs. By the time we hit the indoor garage to get our rental car, Peter and Char were already feeling each other up on the sly.

We managed to get them into the back seat of the car, where they started necking like a couple of teenagers, and headed straight for the hotel. Hopefully the Volturi wouldn't send anyone after us just yet. We were still under the week limit. Bella was watching them through the rear view window with a smirk on her lips. I was glad that she was enjoying herself, but I was dying. My pants were far to tight to be comfortable and if it took too long to get to the hotel, the I would probably end up wrecking the car in my effort to get to Isabella. She had no idea what was in store for her when we finally managed to check into our hotel room.

It was just lucky that I had more self control than Peter did.

Bella looked over at me. "Have you let up on them at all since we got off the plane?"

I nodded. "Yeah, about the time we hit the gate. What's hitting now is all them."

Bella glanced over her shoulder and shook her head. "Insane."

"Oh, fuck, Char." I heard Peter hiss and I bit back a groan of my own. What the fuck, Peter? Were you trying to kill me? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

I pulled up to the hotel and tossed the valet the keys. "Have our bags brought up." I told him, holding out a sizable amount of florins as well.

"Yes sir." He said, unable to take his eyes off the spectacle that was Peter and Charlotte.

"They're newly weds." Bella explained to him in a conspiratory whisper. They just can't control themselves, even though the honeymoon ended weeks ago."

The man snorted and slid into the front of the rental car, driving off.

I looked at Peter and Charlotte. "If you two could manage to contain yourself for five minutes so that we could check into our rooms for the day."

"Fuck you, Major." Peter grunted, pulling away from Char long enough to shoot me a half assed glare. "'S your fault."

I shook my head and wrapped my arm around Bella's shoulder, leading her inside. "They'll make their way along eventually."

I dealt with the business at the front desk and turned towards the elevator that would take us to our rooms. Peter and Char stumbled in and Peter slammed Char into the wall of the lift hard enough to dent the metal hand rail that ran along the edge.

I rolled my eyes and scrubbed a hand over my face before folding my arms in an effort to keep them off Bella. Char let out a long, low keening sound as Peter nipped at her neck and slid his hand down the front of her pants. Now they were just fucking with me. This was their idea of revenge, because they knew that there was no way in hell that I was going to be able to resist Bella all fucking day.

Why had I booked us in the same room again? Oh yeah, because she'd deemed it unnecessary for us to get separate rooms when she and I didn't sleep. I just hoped she realized what she was getting into. In another lifetime, I'd have been more than happy to take advantage of the situation and blame it on Peter and Char later, but the fact of the matter was that I actually had morals now, and only part of this could be blamed on Peter and Char. The other part was the pure, unadulterated lust that I felt for the little brunette.

"Is it a good idea to separate them until we at least get them to their room?" Bella asked.

"Only if you don't mind a few lost limbs and some bites in the process." I warned. "Cause you'll lose more than a few if you get between those two. Char's vicious, Peter more so."

The lift finally stopped and Bella and I stepped out ahead of Peter and Charlotte, leading the way down the hallway. I opened their door for them, dropped the keycard on the table next to it, and closed the door after they'd made it into their room.

Bella looked over at me. "Maybe fucking with them like that was a bad idea."

"Think?" I asked her, taking her arm and leading her down the hall to our own room. She opened the door and made her way to the mini bar against the wall.

"How well does our systems take alcohol?" She asked, looking over at me.

"About the same as any other human food, unfortunately." I told her. "Believe me, there are days I wish I could drink. This week being one of them."

She sighed and closed the door. "I know what you mean. This shit with the Volturi has gotten pretty fucking complicated."

"Among other things." I muttered, dropping onto the couch and praying I didn't break it. I did not want to deal with the human's reactions to _that_. Bella sat down on the other end of the couch, facing me with her feet curled under her.

"So what do we do for the next 12 hours?" She asked. "Peter and Char are indisposed, it's too sunny to go outside."

"I can think of a few things." I muttered, fighting for my self control. For someone as observant as Isabella Swan was, she was being really fucking oblivious right now. If she had the slightest inclination of what I was feeling, she'd take off running. Why the hell was she running her hand up and down her chest like that.

"Jasper, sweetie, you're projecting." She said, innocently, tossing her hair over her shoulder, and looking out the window. "You want me to turn on the TV to distract you?"

That little fucking bitch.

I felt the last thread of control I had snap and I lunged at her. She barely had time to inhale before my lips were fused with hers and I had her pinned to the floor across the room. My hands had minds of their own as one flew to the buttons on her shirt and the other buried itself in that deep, mahogany silk.

Her hands started moving as well, ripping my shirt down the middle before clawing their way up my chest and wrapping around my neck. I reached down and grabbed her ass, causing her to thrust against me in an effort for friction. At this point, I couldn't control myself. I was projecting straight to her, and she knew it. Reveled in it.

She pulled away and flung her head back, pushing her breasts against me as I trailed sharp little nips down her neck. "Jasper, what are you doing?"

"Taking what I want." I growled. Sliding my hand up her back and unhooking her bra before ripping it and her shirt of in one fell swoop. She looked more glorious than ever. Her breasts were bare to me and now I could have my fill of them. No kids, no Carlisle to interrupt us.

I attacked them with renewed vigor at that thought. She was mine, this little vampiress writhing under me, unable to control herself. I had her at my mercy, and she knew it. It aroused her, more than any projected lust could ever. She wanted to be controlled. She wanted to be dominated as her pussy ex-husband could never. I was more than happy to give it to her.

* * *

BPOV

I was on slow burn. Jasper was steadily feeding me his lust and want from all contact points, something I hadn't even known he could do. I could feel it circulating through me, foreign, yet mine. It drove me higher, like a whole new sensation. It blanketed me like hundreds of little tongues and fingers, crawling and writhing at any pleasure point in my body, and circulating to intensify.

Jasper's hands were intense and demanding, all but ordering my response to him. I couldn't help the moan that ripped it's way out of my throat as his lips closed around my nipple. Why had I denied him so long? Why did I fight this?

"Jasper!" I gasped as he ground his hips against me, sending shockwaves of pleasure rocketing through my body. His teeth clamped down on my neck and I ground back, a low keen making its way from deep within.

His hands chose that moment to divest me of my pants. I heard him groan low in his throat when he found me bare to him as the denim was removed.

* * *

JPOV

Mother of God, she was trying to kill me. She was completely open to me now, and she hadn't been wearing any underwear under those tight ass little jeans of hers.

"Bella, you naughty little girl." I murmured to her, sliding first one, then two fingers into her tight little sheath. "You're positively dripping for me, _Mi Compeñera_."

She whimpered and slid her self against my fingers, seeking the friction I was denying her. "Please?" she begged.

Oh, my dear Isabella, you had no idea what you were in for. She'd been teasing me since the day we left Michigan, and now she was going to pay the price. I had twelve hours with her lush little body, and she was going to scream my name for all of _Firenze_ to hear before I was through with her.

I pulled away from her slightly and stripped off my own jeans before I covered her again. "I'm going to make you come so many times, _Mi Amada_, that you're going to be sore for a very long time." I promised her.

She bowed against me as I ran a thumb over her clit. She was so responsive to my touch. I couldn't have asked for anything more in a mate. She was so perfect.

"Take me." She whispered. "Make me yours."

"With absolute pleasure." I breathed back, sliding home as she arched again, taking me in.

* * *

BPOV

Something in me shifted as my mate slid into me. It felt as if all the pieces shifted into place.

The world was whole, brighter. I had a reason to continue living.

Jasper stopped and stared down at me with black eyes. I returned his gaze as his hand came up and wrapped around my cheek, his thumb brushing lightly over my lips.

"Isabella," he whispered.

"Jasper," I murmured back. "My mate."

"_Mi Compeñera_," Jasper said. "My mate. My Isabella."

And then he moved. Slowly. Gently. With infinite care, he took me to heights I had never seen before. My eyes fluttered closed and I clung to him, riding out crest after crest as Jasper claimed me as his in every way possible. I was his, and he was mine. There would never be another for us. When he finally sunk his teeth into his mark again, the final crest washed over me.

"Jasper!" I was breathless.

He followed me over, his teeth still sunk deep into my flesh and the world fell away. Nothing else existed, but the two of us locked in this eternal embrace.

Then instinct kicked in. Jasper laved at the mark on my neck, soothing the sting and healing the wound. When he pulled away, his eyes were shining gold, brighter than I had ever seen. He moved to the side and I saw the marks on his shoulders. Eight identical claw marks marred his shoulders, venom leaking from them slowly. I looked at my fingers and found venom covering them as well.

I moved to him and pushed him onto his stomach.

"Bella, what are you…"

"Shhhh," I told him, straddling his back to keep him down. I took care with each individual mark, pushing it together and bathing it in my own venom so that it would seal, and heal over. Each hiss from him tore at me. My mate was in pain, and it was my fault.

"I'm sorry." I told him after closing the last of the marks.

"Don't be." Jasper murmured. "I didn't even feel them until you started closing them."

"Can you explain this to me?" I asked. He hand no other marks on him like this. Not from Alice, nor Maria, whom I knew that he'd had sex with long before I was even born.

"I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that's the female mate mark." Jasper murmured to me, turning to pull me against him. "I've seen marks like this on Peter, Carlisle, and Emmett, though theirs were in different positions."

"So, only the males bite?" I asked. I'd been under the impression that it went both ways.

"Apparently." Jasper said, smiling at me. "It's alright, _Mi Corazón_. It's completely natural for you to mark me as I have you."

"But I hurt you." I told him.

"The venom always burns, no matter how many times I've been bit, or cut open, or had limbs removed. The venom will always burn when something's being healed. Doesn't your collarbone sting, even a little?"

I frowned and covered his mark with my hand. "A little bit."

He smiled and kissed the top of my head. "You're not going to hate me later, are you?"

"No." I told him. "Maybe I would have, if things hadn't changed, but not now. I looked up at his beautiful gold eyes. "You've changed something in me, Jasper. Something vital. You've made my world whole in a way it hasn't been since I was human."

He nuzzled against my neck and held me too him. "I'm glad to hear it. I've been waiting for you to come back to me, Isabella. You've been away for a long time."

I nodded and rested a hand on his cheek. "Nothing has changed about the war, Jasper. They're still going to die."

"I know." Jasper sighed. "I didn't expect you to change your mind about that. I haven't. Aro and Caius will die. By our hands."

I smiled and looked at the clock. "Think Peter and Char will be done yet?" I asked.

"Not a chance. Can't you hear them?"

I could, but I'd been trying to drown it out. "Unfortunately."

Suddenly a sense of mischief filled the air. Jasper's arms wrapped tighter around me. "What say with continue this in the bedroom?" he asked. "There are so very many things that I want to show you. Teach you."

I smirked at him over my shoulder. "Mr. Whitlock, I do believe I've been married before. Prudish as he was, there was very little that Edward didn't know about the mechanics of sex."

Jasper snorted. "That brat didn't know a damn thing." He rose, picking me up and carrying me to the bedroom. "Trust me, there's more to it than just who's on top."

He dropped me on the bed and smirked at me, standing proudly at the end of the bed.

I smirked. "Enlighten me."

"It will be our pleasure." Jasper said, smirking.

* * *

PPOV

I sat in a chair off to the side of the bed as Char recovered from our latest bout. If not for that bastard getting his rocks off with Bella a couple rooms over, then we'd have been long done, but they've been putting me and Char to shame for the last 11 hours. How many different positions and tricks had he been showing her?

Char looked over at me with a coy smile. "Peter…"

I shook my head. The woman was insatiable, especially when Jasper was projecting. I suppose I should thank him for this later, considering the shit-fest that was to come, but I was still pissed about the plane ride over here.

"Ah, _Mi Amor, Mi Corazón, Mi Alma_, we don't have time." I murmured to her. "The good Major and his Goddess will be finished soon, and then we'll need to be on the road to Volterra."

She pouted. "Not even a quickie?"

"Sorry, _Mi Dulce_, but if we get going, then they'll get going again, and then we'll be starting this cycle all over again, and it wouldn't be good if we missed our appointment with the dead ones." I told her, smirking.

She sighed. "If you insist."

I watched her get off the bed and she bent to get some new clothes out of her bag, seeing as how I had destroyed hers the second that Jasper had closed the door behind us. "I think you're going to have to teach Isabella Spanish." I told her.

She looked over at me. "Why's that?"

"Because now that they're mated, he's going to be a lot like me, and most, if not all, endearments, and even some commands are going to be in Spanish, and you know it. Not only did he spend his human life in Texas, where it was practically the first language, but he spent how many years with Maria before we came along."

"Good point." Charlotte said. "Hmm, actually, he might be worse than you are."

I smirked. "It certainly seems that way."

She shook her head, her lust forgotten as she tossed me some clothes. We both got dressed and I smirked, having a wicked idea. "Char, _Mi Amor_, how would you feel about a little payback for the plane ride?"

"Ecstatic. What do you have in mind?"

"Finish packing up our bags and meet me in front of Jasper and Bella's room." I told her.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"To have a little fun." I told her, heading for the window.

"If someone sees you …" She hissed. "We're too close to Volterra for you to be going all Spider Man on us, Peter."

I frowned. "But …"

"No." She snapped.

I sighed. I swear this woman had Italian in her bloodline somewhere. She had a tendency toward waving her hands around as she screamed at me.

"Fine." I conceded. "We'll get them back later."

She nodded and finished packing our bags we made our way over to the Major's room to find the door ajar. We shared a smirk. I made my way into the room and looked around. Isabella's bra was hanging from the ceiling, her shirt was across the TV, there were buttons scattered all over the place and the tattered remains of Jasper's shirt lay all over the room. Oddly enough, their jeans lay in a pile next to a rather wet spot on the floor.

Char and I shared a look. "Did a hurricane whip through here?" She hissed to me.

"Yeah." I told her. "Hurricane Major."

She giggled into her hand as we crept towards the door, hearing each moan and sigh from our companions.

Char shook her head and walked over to the door, swinging it open. We both froze. Jasper and Bella were sitting on the bed, both perfectly dressed, and smirking at us.

"Fuckers." I muttered.

Jasper shrugged. "Seriously, Peter, I could feel your mischief and vengeance a mile away."

I sighed. "You two ready to go?"

Bella nodded and smirked at Jasper. "Lets go have some fun."

He rolled his eyes as we headed out the door. It was going to be a long stay in Italy.

* * *

A/n: Ok, first, I know what I said last chapter, and I'm sorry we didn't get interaction between the two factions, but this just hit me and it was too good to pass up. I'm sorry. But they're in Italy, and on their way to Volterra, and I'm not writing the 3 hour drive between Firenze (which is Florence. I've been playing too much Assassin's Creed) and Volterra, so I'll be starting the next chap with their arrival there, I promise. I've already got it drafted.

Second, I want to say a huge thanks to all of you. Your response to last chapter was amazing. I can't thank you all enough. You've pushed me up over 300 reviews, and that means the world to me. I knew that this story was popular, but I didn't realize just how much people loved it. Seriously, I got bitched out for complaining about how I write filler (thanks for that, by the way. It kinda gave me the kick I needed to write this).

Thirdly, I've just seen stills for Breaking Dawn, which comes out on November 18, 2011, so woot for that. They're on the IMDB page, so go check them out. It is AMAZING! (unfortunately, there aren't any stills of Jasper up, yet. But plenty of the Denali Coven, which is great.)

I think that's about it. The next chapter will be forthcoming just as soon as I can get it out. Unfortunately, life has been getting in the way of my creative ability, which sucks Aro's ass. (no thanks)

See you all next time,

Leggy Freak003

Ps: I'm thinking about changing my screen name. if I do, I'll let you know ahead of time.

Translations, for those of you who don't know.

Spanish

Mi Corazón - My heart

Mi Compeñera - My mate

Mi Alma - My soul

Mi Amor - My love

Mi Dulce - My sweet

Note: All of these are endearments from a male, to a female. All translations by google, so please forgive me if I screwed them up. At least I managed to get the gender form right for some of them.

Italian

Firenze - Florence, Italy

Florins - I think it's the currency. All of my terminology in Italian comes from the Assassin's creed games, so I don't know if their currency has changed since the 1800s.

Note: Expect to see more Italian while they're in Italy. I think it's ridiculous that Stephenie and even Summit didn't add any of their language into the books or movies. Mostly because the language, like Spanish, is sexy as hell. Something tells me that Aro, and the rest of the Volturi would have spoken quite a bit of Italian mixed with their English.

I'm done now. Toodles.


	14. Chapter 13

A/n: Yes, I know, it's been forever, and I suck. What can I say? Between life, fandom fallout, other interests, and that bitchin brick wall we all know called WRITERS BLOCK, it took me forever to crank this chapter out, but once I got into the groove, it was on.

So, here you go. Volturi time. Just don't hate me too much once it's over. Everything happens for a reason. *evil chuckle*

D/c: I don't own Twilight. I don't even wish I owned twilight at this point. If I did, it wouldn't be ridiculed the way it is.

Chapter 14

* * *

BPOV

We arrived in Volterra with little fanfare. The sun was down and we were able to make our way through the city quickly. I began to notice things that I hadn't the last time I was in the city. The older homes had crosses on the doors, garlic strung through the windows or growing in the window box gardens. There was a white powder that lined the door.

"Amazing what humans think will protect themselves." Peter murmured. "Even in a town that is said to be devoid of all vampires."

"It gives them piece of mind." came a female voice from an alley. The figure stepped out into the open to reveal Jane. "We let them believe what they want. Makes things simpler."

"Of course." Jasper said, wrapping his arm around my waist. "We have a meeting with your masters."

"We're aware." Jane said. "Follow me."

I looked up at Jasper, who's face was a mask of stone. I could feel the rage bubbling under the surface. This little bitch, she was the one who'd stolen Edward from me, from Nessie … I didn't understand what I was feeling. I loved Jasper. So why was I feeling a jealous rage over Jane? What's worse, Jasper could feel it. He knew.

Jasper held me a little tighter and leaned down, nipping at my ear. "Feeling a little possessive, are we?"

"I don't get it." I hissed back.

"I know." Jasper told me. "Jane isn't the only Volturi member with us. Cast your shield. Over all four of us."

I nodded and put my mental shield around us. I could see some of the tension leave Char's face. Jane's quick glance back at us had me worried. Did she know something? Who else was in our escort?

And then it hit me. Chelsea. I had a vague, human memory of someone mentioning that she could change the bond between two people, and that she and Marcus together were a very dangerous combination.

She was trying to separate us.

I had to bite back a growl as I looked ahead of Jane, and saw where other guard members were waiting. Edward and Alice were among them, with Demitri, Chelsea, and Alec.

"A full guard?" Jasper asked. "Isn't that a little excessive."

"We've come with orders from Aro." Edward said. "He knows that Isabella is unable to remove her mental shield from herself for extended periods of time, but she is to have it removed from the three of you for the duration of your stay. Physical as well."

"Why?" I asked. "What's in our heads is none of their business."

"It is, as rulers of the vampire race." Edward said.

"It's alright, Bella." Jasper said. "Drop the shield. We have nothing to hide."

"Nothing to hide." I murmured, drawing layers of the shield off of them. "Yet everything to protect."

"They have no interest in the dogs." Edward told me. "Yet."

I suppressed another growl. When Edward looked at each of the others in turn, satisfied that my shield was down, he turned and led us inside the massive expanse that was Castle Volterra.

* * *

JPOV

I could feel one of them pulling at the emotional ties in my coven. Not enough so that someone would notice any drastic change, but it was a subtle manipulation, so that they could gradually change them without us realizing right off what was going on. I could also feel shock and surprise coming from the female who's name I didn't know. Isabella obviously knew her, judging from her reaction I'd figure it was a safe bet that she was the one doing the manipulations.

She would have to die as well.

I could feel subtle layers of Bella's shield still wrapped around us. Just enough to hide what we needed her to hide. As long as we weren't directly thinking about it, Aro wouldn't see it. I only hoped that Peter and Char knew as well.

We were led down a back alley and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end as vampires started dropping out of sight. Bella followed without hesitation, obviously having some idea of where she was going from her last visit to this palace. Peter and I shared a look and the three of us followed them down, Jane and Alec right behind us. I didn't like this place. We had a tactical disadvantage down here because the members of the guard knew the layout. We didn't. Bella had some idea, but they were human memories, and while she'd done fabulously remembering most of them, they were still fuzzy, and she'd mostly repressed the ones that were unpleasant, like her last trip here.

We passed a human attendant and several other vampires as we were led to a large chamber where the Volturi were gathered, the brothers already on their thrones. Jane, Alec, Edward, and Alice took places nearest the brothers, while the rest of our guard dispersed to their own places around the room.

"Welcome to Volterra." Aro said pleasantly. "rather, welcome back, in your case, Isabella."

"Thank you." I said on behalf of my coven. We needed to remain peaceable while here. We couldn't take them on their own turf, and certainly not just the four of us. He was seething over something. I wasn't quite sure what. I could feel many of the others were all in varying degrees of anger as well. How were these vampires not ripping each other apart?

What shocked me was Alice. While she stood with a stoic mask, her emotions told me otherwise. She was worried about something.

And all this not knowing was pissing me off. There were simply too many variables for this to go our way. Because Bella was forced to remove her sheild, the bitch that was fucking with us was more than capable of continuing to do so, and she was.

"Major Whitlock," Aro said, smiling as he came down off his dais. "This truly is an honor. It's a shame that we hadn't had the opportunity to be properly introduced the last two times we've encountered each other."

"That would be because you were too busy trying to tear my family apart, Aro." I said, not bothering to control myself. I had most of it in check, but what he'd done to us wasn't to be forgiven, or forgotten.

"I think you misunderstood my intentions." Aro replied without missing a beat, the rage rolling off him in waves, now coupled with indignation and a small trickle of fear. "Renesmee was an anomaly. Now that we know more, she's perfectly safe from us."

"More like, now that she has 16 horse sized guard dogs." I returned.

Aro's eyes swept to Alice. "Yes, well, the dogs are a nuisance, but are largely beneath our notice, wouldn't you agree?"

"Not at all." I said as my arm wrapped around Bella's waist in restraint, even though her growl still vibrated in her throat. Aro was on cracked ice with her as it was, and now he was taking potshots at her kids. "They're a great deal stronger than you give them credit for, Aro, though they don't fall under your jurisdiction."

Aro's eyes danced between Bella and I, confusion now joining his pretentious cocktail. He wasn't sure what state our relationship was in, and Marcus was largely uninterested.

Aro shook his head. "Isabella, lovely to see you again. I'm amazed to see you in such control over yourself, after that unfortunate end to our last visit."

"You mean the part where you took my husband, my daughter, and my life away from me and had my former coven leader lock me in a box underground so that I wouldn't have a chance at recovery? Yes, I'm doing much better." Ah, my little mate, the things I wanted to do to you. I'm glad to see you took the hint. Keep them focused on his wrongs. Not ours, for we have none.

Edward's emotions changed from irritation, to full blown rage. I couldn't help but send the self centered, almighty bastard a smirk. That's right, Edward, She's mine.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, Isabella. Edward joined me of his own free will, and your daughter was more than welcome to move with you."

Bella laughed. "Is that what you've deluded yourself to believe, Aro? Forgive me, but I find that hard to believe. As I believe you're aware, everything becomes distinct, and clear, when instinct rules you. I've seen everything with a new clarity, and there is nothing you can say that is going to change my mind."

Aro frowned. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Isabella." He turned and sat down on his throne like the pretentious asshole that he was. "As you're aware, by being here you have opened yourself to my readings, and that of my brother. Isabella, I've been told that you have the ability to drop your shield from yourself for short periods of time, correct?"

"Not without some difficulty." Bella said. "It takes time and a level of concentration I'm still having trouble building up, what with my recent sojourn into insanity."

Aro frowned at this. "I was under the impression that dropping it was relatively simple. Edward's memories seem to indicate as much."

"As I said, I'm having trouble finding that level of concentration. My mind shifts from one thing to another faster than a newborn with ADD." Bella explained. It wasn't completely untrue. She had quite a bit of difficulty keeping her thoughts focused on one thing too long these days. Of course, it was mostly because she was trying to decide just how she was going to carry out her plans.

Aro nodded. "I see. Then I will be unable to read you. Your companions, however, are still subject."

Bella tilted her head to the side, but didn't respond, even though Aro was looking for one.

He raised his eyebrow at me and I smirked. "She's not the coven leader, Aro. Anything that deals with the coven as a whole should be directed at me. You know that. The Whitlocks are mine."

Aro touched a finger to Caius' outstretched hand before nodding. "Very well. Who are your other two companions?"

"Peter and Charlotte Whitlock." I said. "I made them back when I was under Maria's rule, and we decided that it was time that we travel together for a little while since Bella was still adjusting from her breakdown, and I thought I might need a little help with her."

They were trying to ascertain the weakest link. In all honesty, it was Charlotte, but somehow, I didn't think we'd have a problem here.

I saw Peter reach for his chest as if to rub away some pain and frowned. He looked over at me with a look I knew all too well. This was fixing to go tits up.

Bella seemed to have noticed too. She made the slightest movement towards Char. Barely perceptible, even to vampires.

Aro looked me dead in the eye. "Step forward, Major Whitlock. I'd like to see what information you have to offer."

"What's the question?" I responded.

Aro smirked. "Just some … curiosity."

I stepped forward and held out my hand to Aro, my mind carefully blank as Bella moved to stand next to Peter and Char. She took Char's hand, waiting.

That's when I felt it. The moment Aro's hand connected with mine, something inside me shifted. I _wanted_ to do his bidding. For me, there was no one else in the world that deserved my loyalty more. Aro was my King.

* * *

BPOV

I felt it the moment my bond with Jasper snapped. Chelsea was working on him and Peter so hard that no one noticed when my shield went up around Char to prevent her from getting hit with it too. If I lost all three of them, then there was no way to get the boys back.

The trick would be getting out of here. Charlotte looked ready to break down completely. I could feel the same need rising in me, thought not as strong, since Jasper and I had only been mated a day and none of them knew.

It's a good thing I'm fast.

I pulled Char around onto my back and threw up my physical shield before anyone could react and shot out of the room, through the halls, and out the entrance, and though it took a moment for the others to realize what was going on, they were on my heels in seconds. Jasper and Peter were in the lead, having been closest too us when we took off.

I needed to get us out of Volterra. The night was still young, and this could easily go to shit. I put Char down and she followed me up the side of a building and onto the roofs. If it weren't for the fact that I was running for my life, this parkour shit would be pretty cool.

The others followed. Some on the ground, in case we dropped, and others on the roof. But we were smaller, lighter, and a helluva lot faster. The only one that was really gaining on us at full tilt was Edward, and he had a look on his face that told me he was only doing this cause he was told to. It made me wonder.

The gates of Volterra were before us, but closed. That didn't seem to deter Charlotte, by any means. She was fighting her instincts to follow Peter, because while our mating bonds were not broken, theirs were.

She shot up the wall that circled the city and I followed at a close second. We reached the top and dove over the side, into the forest, not bothering to look behind us. We didn't stop until we were out of Italy.

* * *

A/n: Yeah. You read that right. Don't worry, I won't make you suffer too long. BD pt1 is coming out soon. I'm fully into the fandom swing, and I cranked this bitch out in two days. But it's going to be a long ride. and no bitching about how short it was. Adding anything after that would just ruin it.

Let me know what you think. Your reviews make me a very happy camper.

Leggy freak003


	15. Chapter 14

A/n: Wow, guys, vicious much? I expected some anger but wow. Alright, well, cool your tits, cause here's the next chapter. Everything is in motion and we're running full tilt, so the pace might pick up a bit. Enjoy.

D/c: I've said it before, I'll say it a million times more. Twilight has not, does not, and will not ever belong to me. If it did, we wouldn't be where we are today.

Chapter 14

* * *

BPOV

I didn't know how we were going to accomplish it, but char and I would have our mates back. I didn't come all this way just to lose him now.

How dare Aro? Hadn't he taken enough from me? My husband, my happily ever after, and now my mate? He will pay, and he will die.

His head would roll. If I had to go with him to make it happen.

"Bella, where are we going?" Char asked. "We're already in Germany."

We'd lost the Volturi dogs at the Italian border. I paused. "Do you speak German?"

"No." Char said. "What now?"

"Well, there are usually tourist spots with English speakers, but I think our best bet would be to head for the UK." I said. "Make this swim and throw them off our trail. We can get some new clothes and hunt real quick and then hop a plane to the US."

"What about Peter and Jasper?" Charlotte asked. It was obvious that this was the first time she'd been without her mate in this way.

"We'll get them back, Char." I said, my voice hard. "I swear that much to you. I'm just not sure how yet. Let's get back to the kids before we make plans, though. We don't need Alice Thwarting us."

She nodded and we set out again. At the German border of the North Sea, we wasted no time in diving into the water. As the sun came over the horizon, we made our way into the North Sea, and headed straight for the United Kingdom. We swam in silence, not quite sure what to say to each other. The vast expanse of blue was vastly boring. Once or twice we passed ships and had to dive underwater, into the beautiful, otherworldly depths, to avoid detection, but otherwise, the swim was boring.

Even at vampire speed the swim took quite a bit of time, but the sun was still high when we reached the British Shore, causing us to have to stay out of sight until night fell.

"Any idea where we're going to make land?" I asked Char, treading water as we waited for our skin to stop sparkling.

"None. Just that we'll need to fast track it to an airport after we get clothes and hunt."

I nodded. "I think we should hunt together. I know we don't share a diet, but we shouldn't separate, for any reason. If I lose you, I'm done for, Char. There's no way to get our mates back if we separate. Aro wins."

Char nodded. "I agree with you, but we need to go one way or the other so we're not spending too much time here."

I frowned. That was something to consider. Could I turn away from my diet, which I've lived off of for six years without a slip, or could I force Char to hunt animals, after she'd spent nearly a hundred-fifty years feeding on nothing but the vagrants of society?

None of this seemed fair. One of us would have to sacrifice something in order to do this, and I would disappoint my kids to no end.

"Bella," Char called softly. "We need to decide soon. The sun is going down."

"I know, Char." I told her. Damn it. We didn't have the time to go blasting into the woods to get animals. "Alright, Char. You're going to teach me how you hunt."

She looked over at me in shock. "Are you sure, Bella?"

"Yes." I looked over at her. "We don't have time for a romp in the woods and two shopping trips. This needs to be fast and clean. Is there any way you can check the rap sheets when we hit land?"

"Yeah." Char said. "It's easy. Just need to find an internet café."

Our phones were pretty much useless at this point. We'd have to get some money as well. Nothing like another trail. They'd know we were here as soon as we used our cards.

Night fell and Char and I made our way to shore. Edinburgh. Made me wish I had time for sight seeing. We were wringing out our clothes and preparing to take off again when an elderly couple stopped in front of us.

"Are you ladies alright?" the man asked.

"Yes, sir." I said, smiling kindly at him. "We were just a little stupid tonight, that's all. Decided to take a dip."

"Well that's a silly thing to do." The man said. "It's bloody freezing out here. Come on then, loves, into the car with you. Must be a couple of tourists."

"Yes, sir." I said, leading Char over to the car.

His wife turned in her seat and smiled. "We'll get you ladies cleaned up nice."

"Thank you." Char said, smiling at them. "We're sorry to be so much trouble."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all, dearie." the woman said. She looked us over and frowned. "I hope you don't mind me being forward, but are you girls in some kind of trouble?"

Char and I shared a look. "Not really, but what little money we have left we need for plane fare." I explain. "We were actually on our way to the airport when we got the crazy idea to take a dip. Not exactly the brightest idea we've ever had, but its our first trip to the United Kingdom, so we wanted to make it memorable."

The couple laughed and the gentleman shook his head. "Definitely a couple of tourists."

They took us to their home in town and let us take a shower. The woman, who's name we discovered was Lily, gave us each clothes that her daughter-in-law had left behind. The shirts were a little tight in the chest, but otherwise fit fine. Lily seemed to enjoy doting her attention on women. She told us that she'd only ever had the one son, but when he got married, they visited all the time, but she still missed out on having a daughter of her own, and she loved to dote.

The man, James, offered to give us a lift to the airport. He didn't seem too put out by the late hour.

"It's alright." James said, grinning widely. "I've got no problem with it, love. I just want to make sure a couple of beautiful young ladies get there safely."

We thanked him profusely and prayed that Alice didn't send anyone after them to punish them for helping a couple of Volturi fugitives.

James dropped us off at the front door and we thanked him again, heading into the airport.

"So much for hunting, I muttered."

"We'll hunt when we get home. I can hold out long enough to make the flight. You?" Charlotte asked.

"I think so." I told her. "The burn isn't too bad." And it wasn't. "But I know that my rage is making it worse than it actually is." and it was.

Charlotte nodded. "Lets get home, then."

I was able to breathe easy again once we were in the air. Now that we weren't actively fearing for our lives, I could relax for a minute.

"Bella," Char called softly, so humans couldn't hear, "how did you know?"

"Jasper suspected Aro might pull something like this." I replied. "The day before we met up in San Antonio, he and I went hunting, and he explained it all and gave me my orders. If they were to succeed, then I was to get you and myself out. Period. He said I could only bring them back if we were free. He told me that under no circumstances was I to drop my mental sheild completely. He didn't care how much effort it took or what I had to do."

"But now Aro knows about our plans." Char whimpered. With every mile we put between ourselves and our mates, it hurt more. It killed me to see this normally strong, confident female reduced to a quivering mass over her mate. Especially having been there once before myself. I knew what she was going through, though the memories were foggy at best.

"No, he doesn't." I assured her. "It's locked in their minds, shielded from anyone or anything until I say otherwise. Not even they can access it."

Char's jaw dropped as she looked over at me. "How?"

"For some reason, my power expands every time my family is threatened. First when the Volturi came after my daughter, I gained control of my mental shield. When they came for the family, I gained a physical shield. This time, I've somehow gained the ability to layer and leave my shield in place without being nearby." I explained. "Is that even normal?"

"It depends." Char sighed. "Jasper and Peter, when they were newborns, had the barest hint of a gift. Peter's was just a bad feeling, and Jasper, it was that he could feel the emotions of the vampires around him. He couldn't even feel humans at that point, from what I understand. As they got older, their gifts expanded, gaining more definition and ability. Now, Peter gets full flashes of information. Jasper can feel, manipulate, and control the emotions of anyone and everything around him, even feel the echoes of the past."

"What about you?"

"My gift has remained static." Char said. "How much could it expand, really? All I do is see a person's true personality and know whether I can trust them or not. It's been that way since the beginning. It's how I knew I could trust Jasper and Peter, and how I knew to fear Maria."

"Maybe you just haven't found the catalyst for a change?" I suggested as we fell into our old roles of her as the teacher and me as the student.

"Doesn't matter either way." Char said. "Its not particularly active, anyway, isn't much good in a fight. But I will tell you one thing." She turned away from me with a serious expression on her face. "Edward and Alice? They're chomping at the bit for something. Jane and Alec? They despise their masters more than anyone there. And Marcus? If not for Chelsea's artificial bonds, he would have murdered Aro a thousand years ago."

I frowned. "Char, do we have allies in their ranks?"

"As soon as Chelsea is dead we will." Charlotte told me. "Her bonds can't hide how a person truly feels in their soul. Most of them are screaming to get out of their bonds."

I grinned evilly. "Then she dies first."

Charlotte nodded. "She'll need to."

We sat in silence for some time before Char leaned her head onto my shoulder. "I'm terrified, Bella. I've never heard of this happening. Chelsea shouldn't be able to break or create mating bonds."

"I don't know, Char. I really don't." I sighed. "But I don't think she broke them completely. I can still feel mine. I think she just … intersected them."

Char looked up at me, confused. "What?"

"What I felt wasn't a … snap, per se." I explained. "It was more like something speared through the bond, weakening it, but not breaking it. It's hard to explain, but I think Jasper and Peter still feel the pull, but the only way for Chelsea to cement their bond to Aro is for us to join as well. For her to work us as well and get the mated pair to Aro. You didn't feel a twinge of loyalty to him when she pierced the bond?"

"A little, but you had me under your shield so quick that it didn't have time to take root on me like it did the boys."

I nodded. "They'll be looking for us, Char. Demanding that we join them, and Aro, and that it's the only way to live. Jasper will go back to feeding on humans, too, I'm sure."

"I don't think so." Charlotte told me. "It nearly destroyed him, and he's just as strong with animal blood as he is with human. That's not normal in a vampire, but that's how it is with Jasper. And the Major? So much more vicious. I think he'll stick to animals. Peter will have warned Aro about what would happen if they forced his hand."

I nodded. I hoped so.

"So how are we getting them back?"

Oh, Char, you poor broken record, you. "We'll figure something out, Char. I swear it to you."

She curled up against me again and I held her. My poor sister. 150 years she'd been at Peter's side.

All I can think of are the many ways to make Aro pay.

* * *

We landed in San Antonio and met up with the kids, and Denalis.

"That was quick." Blake commented. "Where are the Major and the Captain."

I snarled at the same time Char unleashed a broken whimper. I rounded on Blake to see him genuinely scared.

"The Volturi have them." I snapped. "Now, it's time to make yourselves useful. Get packed. Now. We're leaving."

"Where to, Bella?" Tanya asked.

"Peter and Charlotte have a home in the Cascades in Oregon that we can use." I replied as everyone launched into motion. Char and I would have to go shopping for clothes soon. And hunting. "We're heading there. It's close enough to both Forks and Death Valley that we can move in either direction, depending on which way the Volturi think we'll go. Since we're going north, they'll think we'll keep heading that way, and Alice, Edward, Jasper, and Peter will convince Aro that we want to spare Forks, so we won't stop there. Which is exactly where we will stop, before heading to the Jasper National Park."

Nessie poked her head up from her bag. "Wouldn't that be a little obvious?"

"Nope." Bella grinned. "What vampire is stupid enough to go to a national park that shares the name of her mate, who is currently hunting her down."

All eyes landed on me and I sigh. "Yes, I know, it's obvious as hell, but I need to throw them off my actual trail. Its reverse, reverse psychology. Anyone that knows the old me knows that I'd be stupid enough to do something like that. Jasper and Peter know the new me, they trained me themselves. Do you honestly think that they'd fall for something like that?"

"Valid point." Tanya said. "So where will we be going?"

"To set up camp." I told her. "You Denalis, Leah, and Embry will be heading to Death Valley. Char and I are headed for Mexico, and Jake and Ness are headed for South America. I'm going to leave the numbers that we need called with you guys, and I need you guys to start organizing the move in to Death Valley and the surrounding areas to be ready for the fight."

The Denali's nodded. "So, now that you're hidden from Alice again, that's what we're doing? Heading out to start camps?"

I nodded. "Yes. Alice will lead the Volturi Guards north, away from us. Jasper and Peter will head south. We hope."

"Either way, you're safe." Charlotte assured her. They won't be worried about you. Their main concern at the moment is cementing their hold on our mates through us."

With that said, we set out. We couldn't afford to dick around.

* * *

The drive was short. We moved quickly, getting everything we needed set up. As they settled in, I gave last minute instructions.

"No one leaves alone. Period. Groups of two or more." I said. "I'd prefer two vamps and a wolf, or some combination with a wolf in it, but I understand that mated couples need time alone, so I'm only asking that no one goes anywhere alone. Ever."

"Understood." They reply.

"Get comfortable." I said. "I need you here to receive allies. Most will probably make came in surrounding towns until it's time to fight, but I want someone here in case some of the nomads would rather rough it."

Garret cleared his throat. "Speaking as a former nomad, the odds are that all of the dedicated ones will stay here."

I nodded, appreciating his insight. "I have no disillusions to think the Volturi aren't already on American soil. Demitiri and Alice will lead them where we want them to go, for now, but they'll be hunting for us. Be ready to move if they come within three miles of this place. I want you on the bikes and gone. Head for either Yosemite or Sequoia to the north. No chances. Call me and let me know where you end up if something happens."

"Of course." Garret said, nodding firmly.

"What about you?" Tanya asked.

"Don't you worry about us." I assured her. "They cant track Jake and Ness. They'll be meeting up with the other Damphires. Char and I are heading to Mexico Odds are they'll see the decision to head for Jasper. I made that on the plane ride here, as I told you. Jasper and Peter know us better than that. They'll come for us alone.

To this Char nodded. "I always told Peter that if anything ever happened to him, the first place I would do is go to our creator. Under previous circumstance, that would have been a death sentence. Now, it may just be our saving grace."

I faced Garret directly. "I chose this spot because it's off the beaten path, secluded and open. When the newborns start arriving, there's a canyon a couple miles north of here. Direct them there. The warlords will handle their own, and it'll be easier without beating hearts to distract them. While the smell alone may put them off the hunt, I don't want them chomping on my kids just cause they can hear it."

He nodded definitively.

"The Volturi are probably only a day behind us." Char added. "So stay on alert."

I turned to Blake. "Call the ones you work for. Get them moving. I don't know how they know, and frankly don't care at this point. Get them into Nevada and California. Now."

Blake nodded.

I took a moment to survey the area. It was beautiful, for a barren desert. The night was alive with activity. Critters and birds scurrying and flying around. All of them avoided us, sensing the danger. The ground around us sloped and rolled, creating chasms that we could use to our advantage.

That was something for me to smile at. I was starting to think like Jasper. I wasn't entirely sure that was a good thing, but under the circumstances, it was keeping us alive.

Charlotte headed for one of the cars, and after a brief goodbye, Jake and Ness headed for the other one. We were leaving the bikes for the six still here.

I looked at Kate. "Start calling in our contacts, Katie. Get them here, and get them settled. We'll need all hands in for this one."

"I'm on it." She said.

With that, I kissed my kids goodbye and got in the car with charlotte. As we sped off, she looked over at me. "You're perfect for him, you know."

"What do you mean," I asked, confused.

"The Major." Char said. "You're perfect for him. Not just Jasper. Both."

"There's a difference?"

"A big one." She informed me. "You may have caught a glimpse of it last time you were in Mexico, hon, but you ain't seen nothin' yet."

"Should be a thrill then." I chuckled darkly. "After all, it's save him or fight him."

"And fighting him will get you dead, mate or not." Char agreed.

I disagreed, but I ignored it. I needed a plan. And soon. If I knew those boys, they wouldn't be wasting time. And Aro didn't strike as the type to dick around when it mattered, either.

How much more would he destroy before we were able to end him?

I guess happily ever after just wasn't in the cards for me. It wasn't like I hadn't tried, but this was the third time in the last six years that the love of my existence had somehow been removed from my life. The firs two times, I broke, but my love for Edward had been a superficial, shallow thing compared to my feelings for Jasper. This time, couldn't afford to break. Too much depended on me. Too _many_ depended on me to keep this together. My kids, my sister, my extended family.

The manly men were gone, and it just went to show, never send a Sonofabitch to do The Bitch's job. If there was one thing I was turning out to be, it was a Stone. Cold. Bitch.

And it was time to meet my match on even keel. Maria and I had a lot to discuss.

* * *

A/n: There you have it. Bella's plans are in motion, so don't got smashing your computers. It's not healthy for them. Now that I'm in a full blown twilight bent, you'll be seeing updates more frequently, I'm sure. This is, after all, the second update in a week.

I'm anxious to get this show on the road, so let me know what you think.

And for the record, if you've read any of my previous work, you know that I have a penchant for torturing my characters before giving them their happily ever after, so be patient.

Thanks to everyone that reviewed, please don't kill me. If you do that, you'll never know how the story ends.

Leggy freak003


	16. Chapter 15

A/n: I didn't think it would take me so long to get this chapter out. Friggin life. It needs to go away. I don't want reality.

Thank you for your patience. You have no idea what it means to me that you've all stuck with me this long. I can't believe the response this story got. We've got half the number of chapters my completed story does, and already we've more than tripled the number of reviews. This makes me very happy. I freaking love you guys.

D/c: I only wished I owned twilight. Sadly, all I have to my name is a few scraps of lint.

Chapter 15

* * *

BPOV

We approached Maria's compound on foot, leaving our car at the hotel in the nearest town. Ness and Jake and taken off in wolf form from there, headed south.

Maria was standing outside with her newborns as the sun dropped behind the horizon. Looks like we arrived just in time for drills.

She turned to us with a sadistic smile. "Isabella, Charlotte. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I need to talk to you, Maria." I told her. "You told me you know everything there is to know about what we are. Well now I need you to put that knowledge to work, and help me get Jasper and Peter back."

Her face became a mask. She barked out a few orders in Spanish and motioned for us to move into the house. I followed, Char was a little more apprehensive.

"I'm not going to kill you, Charlotte." Maria told her. "Come inside. Unless you want to join the newborns for a little while."

Charlotte scuttled along behind me, obviously terrified.

She was occupying the same house she had last time, only things were arranged differently now. A day bed and a chaise lounge replaced a couple of the couches. Maria opted for the chaise.

"Where are The Major and The Captain?" Maria asked.

"We were called to Volterra." I explained. "Chelsea …"

"Say no more." Maria said, holding up her hand. "I've got a bone to pick with that little bitch myself. How did she do it?"

"I think she tried to secure Jasper and Peter's loyalty through our mating bonds." I sighed. "But they can't do that …"

"Without you two." Maria agreed. "Smart girl. Who told you to run?"

"Jasper, before we even left for Italy." I murmured. "He knew what they were planning."

"Did he send you here as well?" Maria asked.

"No." I told her. "I came here on my own. Char is, no offence, all but useless to me right now. She and Peter obviously haven't been separated since they were created and it's hitting her hard. I needed someone who knew enough about us to know if there's anyway we can break the hold on them."

"And you thought of me first?" Maria asked, smirking. "I'm flattered."

"You're Jasper's creator." I said, choosing my words carefully. "You know him better than any one of us. Even if I am his mate, there's a lot I still don't know about him. Things I still need to learn. I didn't even know he smoked until we came here. I need your help." I slid to my knees on the carpeted floor, following my instincts to the letter. "I need you to help me get my mate back. I'll do anything you ask, with exception to joining your army."

In a moment of stunning clarity, Char slid down next to me. "I ask the same."

Maria sat forward and lit a cigarette. She studied us carefully. "I'll help you." She said after several long minutes of contemplation. "Without payment. I'm selfish by nature. Its why I'm in a constant war for territory. I don't want Aro's greedy claws into what's mine." I felt a possessive growl building in my throat. "Jasper was, and is, a son to me. My masterpiece. The Major is the greatest monster I've ever created as well. I refuse to see them in service to the Volturi. For that reason alone, I'll help you."

The growl died on my tongue when Maria called Jasper her son. She truly cared about him, in her own twisted way. I was glad to know that even if this went tits up, I had one ally on my side to get him home.

She turned to Char. "You and the Captain are the only other vampires to have ever escaped me." She rose from her seat and ran her fingers over Char's face, causing her to shiver. Charlotte let out a whimper of sheer terror that caused Maria to smirk. "But I see that you, at least, still fear me. You have nothing to worry about. I won't be killing you. Jasper needs you and Peter in his life to keep him grounded. Someone that knows the hell he's been through." She stepped back. "You'll have your mates back, ladies, if it's the last thing I do in this life, but you're not going to like the method."

* * *

I couldn't help the trepidation I felt over Maria's plan. She told us that the only way she knew of to break a mate from Chelsea's hold was to put the free party in danger. Translation, Char and I would be losing some limbs. Honestly, that wasn't even the part I didn't like. I could deal with that. It was the fact that doing so would send Jasper over the edge and into an uncontrollable rage. To get Jasper back, we had to free the Major. And that was putting everyone at a risk, we knew.

"Are you certain this is going to work?" Char asked Maria as she flipped through one of her books at an inhuman pace.

"Yes." Maria told her. "It may not instantly break them free of that little _puta_ that currently has him bound to Aro, but it'll wake the Major and the Captain, and those are their gateway to freedom." She looked over at me. "Are your shields controlled enough to keep them out? We'll be doing this away from the compound, but I really don't want to lose my life in the process. The newborns I don't care about."

"You'll be safe." I swore. "It doesn't matter how much stress I'm under, I recognize allies in any state."

Maria nodded and snapped the book shut. "I've got scouts out watching for them now. How long till they'll be here?"

"No idea." I sighed. "We left Italy a few days ago, so they should be far behind. Something tells me that they'd go straight for America, cause we lost them at the Italian border."

"What do we know about the Volturi?" Maria asked.

I sighed. "Not enough."

Maria nodded. "It's doubly important that we get them back."

"I know."

* * *

JPOV

I stood to the right of Aro's throne as he and the brothers debated what they were going to do. We had left Isabella and Charlotte at the northern border of Italia on Aro's orders, but I was itching to get a move on. That little woman would pay for running from me. I'd make sure of it.

Peter wasn't faring much better. He couldn't decide whether to be hurt or pissed off. We didn't understand why they left. Aro would be good for us as a coven. Didn't they see that?

I couldn't help the nagging sensation in the back of my mind that I was forgetting something. Something important.

I looked around the room and frowned. The Volturi Castle was vast and amazing, and yet they kept all of the important guard in the main hall. To stand among them meant that you were one of the elite.

"Major Whitlock," Aro called, and I moved to kneel before the brothers. It felt as if my body was rebelling the action. Something in the back of my mind was telling me that I bowed to no one. I resisted.

"Master?"

"What do you think we should do about Isabella and Charlotte. They'll have certainly returned to America. What do you think they will do then?"

"They'll have move to safety, sir." I told him. "Or what they feel would be safe."

"Alice."

My ex-companion moved to kneel next to me, here eyes studiously on the floor. She enraged for some reason. Past experience told me that she was pissed at me. She never looked at me when she was.

"My Master?"

"What do you see them doing?" Caius asked.

"I see them retreating to Jasper National Forest in Canada, Milord." Alice told him. "She's decided to move her family to safety and forget all these futile plans of hers, whatever they were."

No. That didn't sound like Isabella. She'd never give up. There was something … Something I needed to remember.

Peter caught my eye and shot me a look that told me to keep my silence. He knew something. There was just something off about the way he'd been acting. He'd been so adamant that we stay here, remain with the guard instead of chasing our mates. He'd said that we would be getting them back in due course, but that we had to let things play out. What was going on here.

Aro nodded silently contemplating. He was irate. He had wanted all of us. Isabella alone would have been the crown jewel in his collection. She would have been treated, fed, like a queen, on the level of the brothers. Didn't she understand?

I would have her back. That I swore. Not even my masters could stop me.

"I think we should send a small group." Aro finally decided. "Demitri, Felix, Edward, Alice, Jane, Alec, Jasper, Peter, Chelsea, Heidi, Santiago, and a few others." He looked to his brothers. "We don't want to make a production of hunting them down. Those who seek to thwart our power would have no problems about hunting them down and killing them."

My whole being rebelled at the thought. "My lord, may I speak?" I asked.

"Of course, Major."

"The group you suggest would be too big. We're dealing with a couple of frightened females. She'll no doubt send Renesmee and the wolves to the reservation for protection, and then send the Denalis away as well. She'll want to avoid a confrontation. Send only Peter and myself to retrieve our mates. We'll return with them swiftly."

Aro frowned. "No, we cannot allow that. While I trust you, Major, I would like to send some of the older members with you as well."

"A smaller number, then, perhaps." I suggested. "For something as simple as this, a team of six would more than suffice."

Aro went silent again. He held out his hand to each of his brothers and nodded. "Very well, Jasper. You will take Edward, Alice, Jane, and Alec with you to seek out your mates."

I bowed my head low. "When do we leave?"

"Immediately." Aro said. "I want this over."

I rose from my spot and nodded to Peter. The two of us swept from the room, Edward, Alice, Jane, and Alec having to move quickly to keep up. We would have them back within the week. That much I knew.

Alec and Jane took the lead, leading us through the tunnels that would take us directly to the airport hanger that house one of many Volturi private jets.

Within an hour of our release from Aro's side, we were in the air, heading towards our mates. We would have them back.

* * *

NPOV

Jake and I moved quickly through Mexico, as per my mother's orders. We knew that there was no time to dawdle. Jasper would be heading our way, and even I knew that Mama was the only one that could bring him back, but we needed to be ready to move. He would have the information that we needed to put the rest of the plans into action.

Jake rumbled beneath me and I loosened my grip. We were nearing the South American boarder. I knew where I would find Nahuel. I didn't know how, but us halfbreeds seemed to be able to sense each other. I knew, somehow, that his sisters were nearby as well. With the death of their father, the sisters had had nowhere to go, and realized their mistake in how they saw themselves. They weren't a superior race. Everything vampiric was halved by the human blood that flowed through our veins, a fact that Jasper had made sure I was well aware of. We would not enter this fight, but we would be of help later, and Mama wanted us where she knew we were safe.

"We're not far off." I told Jake as he weaved through the trees at lightning speed. Leah was still faster, but my Jake could move. "Another seven miles. To the south."

Jake rumbled again and pushed himself faster. He would need to eat soon, and he would need to eat a lot. I only hoped that we would be able to get the food for him. I was getting a little hungry myself.

Time seemed to still as Jake slid to a halt so fast I was thrown from his back. I landed on my feet and wheeled around.

"You shouldn't be here, monster." A man growled in heavily accented English.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" I told him, glaring heavily as a low growl rolled continuously from Jake's chest.

"No man has ever conquered an animal of that size." The man snarled. "You are unnatural."

I kept my eyes on the men around us with guns. They wouldn't do them any good, but they could still injure Jake. My Jake moved closer to me as the air around us stilled. The animals fell silent, the air ceased to move, and I could hear footsteps in the trees.

I spun as a scream rang out behind me, to find Nahuel with his teeth burried deep in the throat of one of the men that had come up behind us. I heard a shot ring out and felt the impact of a bullet in my back, causing me to turn. Again I found a man with a dampir with their teeth burried in a man's throat.

I spun in shock and horror as the humans around us fell one at a time. Jake stood beside me, ignoring the carnage as he licked at the minor wound in my back, as was his way in wolf form.

The vampires and Damphir around me stopped as the last human fell.

"We are sorry about them." Zafrina said. "And sorry you had to witness that. They hunt all beings other than themselves, believing them to be evil or unnatural. We've been seeking them for some time now. It was our luck for them to happen across you and stop."

Nahuel was at my side in a second, waving off Jake so that he could inspect my wound himself. Jake rumbled and trotted off into the dense treeline with the bag that had fallen some feet from me when I'd been thrown.

"You are not injured?" Nahuel asked, looking me in the eye.

"I'm fine." I told him, smiling. "Nahuel, I explained …"

"Yes, you did." Nahuel agreed, nodding gravely. "It does not stop my worry for you, _amada, _whether your mate cares for it or not."

I sighed. "I understand."

"I don't." Jake growled, walking out in a pair of shorts with the bag. "Get your fucking hands off her."

"Jake!" I yelped.

Jake shook his head and pulled me closer to him.

Nahuel nodded and bowed his head as he stepped away. "I did not mean to overstep my bounds, Irmão. I wish for nothing but her safety."

Jake growled. "Just watch it."

"Why have you come?" Senna asked.

"Bella is calling everyone to Death Valley." Jake said. "We ran into a few problems, but plans are in motion to rectify them. She's asked that everyone that is fighting gather at the appointed place. Her words, not mine."

They all shared a look between them. "What kind of snag?" Zafrina asked.

"Jasper and Peter were taken by the Volturi." I explained. "But from what I understand, Mama's mental shield expanded again, and she was able to lock up any knowledge of the plans so that they couldn't access it. She said that it was typical for powers to expand. Is it true?"

Zafrina nodded. "It is, Especially under times of great stress or with a lot of work and practice. _Menina_, are you certain that she has a way to return Jasper to her?"

"Yes." I said. "At least, I hope so. She's gone to his creator to get help."

Huilen and two of the other females hissed. "That demon woman? What would she possibly want with her."

"She wants Jasper back." Jake said. "And she'll do anything to get him. Even if it means handing herself to Maria for a few decades."

"Then we'll go." Zafrina said, sharing a look with the rest of her extended coven. "We must gather the others, however. There are yet a few able vampires in _Brasil_ and _Ámérica do Sul_."

I looked at Jake. He held me close. "How quickly can you gather them?" he asked.

Kachiri tilted her head. "If you take the Damphir with you, we could bring them to you in a half days time. We shall meet you at the boarder of Brazil and Colombia. Nahuel knows where, he will show you."

Jake nodded. "Alright. 12 hours, though. We don't have a lot of time."

Zafrina and the other females nodded as the whipped into the forest, ready to move. The Damphir all looked at Jake. He looked over at Nahuel. "Let me phase, and then lead the way."

Nahuel nodded and Jake released me to go phase in the trees.

Jake came back and dropped the bag at my feet. I put it on and Climbed onto his back.

Nahuel frowned but took off into the trees, his sisters on his tail. Jake followed close behind.

Please, our Amazon friends, hurry. We needed to get back to the others.

* * *

BPOV

Char and I were entertaining ourselves in the library of Maria's compound. She was apparently an avid collector of books and this was her main place, meaning she stored them all here.

I looked up as one of her officers, who's name Maria had deemed unimportant, stepped in and bowed low to us.

"Ladies, Mistress Maria requests your presence in her office. I'm to escort you there." He said.

"What for?" I asked, rising and putting the book I was reading on the table.

"A few of the scouts have returned." he said, and turned to lead us through the compound.

I noticed an abundance of Newborns inside the house today. What was going on? Maria almost never let the newborns inside.

We were shown to Maria's door and the officer left without so much as a backward glance.

I shared a look with Char to find her frightened out of her wits. What the hell was going on? I knocked.

"Enter." Maria called, her voice hard.

I stepped into the room with Char behind me, her hands wrapped tightly in my shirt.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Culling day." Maria told me. "Newborns aren't allowed to watch their comrades die, because they'll go into a frenzy and fight."

I nodded. "Makes sense. You wanted to see us?"

Maria nodded. "I've just gotten words from one of my contacts in the states, as well as reports from a couple of my scouts. The Volturi have sent a team of six into the states. Your mates, the mind reader, the seer, and the witch twins."

"How do you know this?" I asked, watching as she rose from behind her desk. She was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt today. She dressed for the occasion, that was for sure. On most days, she had something girly. Apparently that changed when there was business to be done.

"All warlords go on alert when the Volturi set foot on this side of the world." Maria explained to me. "It's been a long standing, unspoken rule. No fights when the Volturi are in town. We have a network of contacts in the north and south to insure that we know where they are and what they're doing from the minute their plane lands till it takes off again."

"Wow." I murmured. "And you haven't come to a truce before now, why?"

Maria gave me an evil smirk. "Because we all want everything."

I dropped the subject. "Which way are they going?"

"For now, it appears that your diversion worked. They're leaving your other family members alone, the ones in Death Valley. But it also appears that The Major and Captain are putting up some resistance for going north. They're convinced that you wouldn't be that stupid."

"They're right." I sighed. "So how long until we can expect them?"

"I'd say we only have two days, at most, before they're on our doorstep." Maria told me. "And we're going to have to make this real, Isabella. No mistakes. You know what that means."

"Char and I are losing a few limbs." I nodded. "I know."

Maria nodded. "I'm going to be using a few of my older newborns for the whole thing. They're the only ones surviving the culling."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because the Major will kill them anyway, for doing you and Charlotte any harm." Maria laughed. "It'll l be beautiful."

"And how are we going to lead into this?" Charlotte asked, poking her head around my shoulder.

"I'm going to offer them their former places at my side. I know that neither of them will ever take it, but I also know that it'll put them in conflict. Their bond to the Volturi, their bonds with you, and their bonds to me, their creator, will all be waring with each other. The weakest ones will lose."

"Yours and the Volturi." I surmised. "I hope this works, Maria. I'd hate to have to kill you."

Maria smirked. "Too many, much older than you, have tried, little Bella."

I smirked. "I wouldn't try, Maria. I would succeed."

She laughed.

Char and I returned to the library and Char relaxed, though only slightly.

I looked over at her. "You want to tell me what's up with you, lately?"

"I just don't like being here." Char murmured. "It brings back too many memories, and I'm falling into old patterns. Maria created me, after all. I can't stop myself from being afraid of her, even though I know that I'm safe from her. The last time I was here, I was seconds away from death, and if it hadn't been for Jasper, I would have died that day."

"You're older now. Better." I said.

"And Maria still harbors a deep rooted resentment of me." Charlotte told me. "I can see it. She doesn't care either way about Peter and I, but Jasper was her pride and joy. He spent several decades with her, Bella. She'll do anything to see him happy and safe, no matter how much she wishes that at her side would appease him. Your safety here hinges on the fact that you're his mate. You have to realize that. She's playing nice because of who you are to Jasper, the same reason she place nice for Peter and I. That's something you need to never forget."

I nodded. "I understand. She's going to enjoy this, isn't she?"

"Very much." Charlotte nodded. "She's practically crowing, hoping that this all goes wrong, and it's her bond with Jasper that solidifies."

"It won't happen." I said, my hand resting on the mark at my shoulder. It would tingle now and then, as if something were calling me. "We finished our mating in Florence."

"I know that." Charlotte said. "And that's what we've got going for us. No matter how new, a mating bond is rock solid. We'll be ok, Bella. We just have to get them back, and get through the fight, and we'll have our happy ending."

I hope you're right, Char. I really do.

* * *

A/n: There you go. Things are in motion. Things are getting heated now. I'm enjoying this way too much.

Thanks everyone for your reviews. I love you all.

And now, I have a little favor to ask. I'm compiling a play list for this fic to be posted on my profile. So, this is where you come in. I want you to give me the title and artist of the song that you think represents this fic, a specific character, what have you. I'd also like you to tell me the who/what and why. I'll pick my faves, add them to the play list, and post the link on my profile with the next chapter. Happy hunting.

Thanks again for all the support you guys have given me over the course of this story. You don't know what it means and I couldn't possibly put it into words. I just wanted you all to know how much I appreciate you.

See you all next time.

Leggy Freak003


	17. Chapter 16

A/n: Hell guys, I didn't think I'd get this much of a rise out of you… ok, I totally did. You guys are fantastic. I love it. Thanks so much for all the song suggestions, as well, and keep them coming, because the list will keep on going until the story ends. Just a note though, if your song didn't make the list, it's because I either couldn't find it on play list, or I just haven't gotten around to adding it yet. RL is a total bitch right now, so I'm lucky Jasper decided to cooperate and let me get this chapter out.

D/c: I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish. Sadly, Twilight isn't mine. I just use it for my own twisted pleasures, and to torture readers like you. :D love you guys.

Chapter 16

* * *

BPOV

I'm terrified. Here we stand on the precipice of salvation or damnation, and I'm more terrified now than I was the morning Aro and his guard came for my family, my daughter.

Poor Charlotte is hanging on by a thread, she's so lost without Peter. The new revelation of Maria's intent has me on edge as well.

Things were already set in motion. Recent scouting reports put the Volturi envoy only hours away. They'd already found the car and searched the town it was found in. They would come here next.

I looked at my sister. "Are you alright?"

"No." Charlotte looked up at me with wide, red eyes, glowing fresh from her latest kill. "I'm petrified, Bella. Peter has never been a particularly violent man. He doesn't play with his food, or relish in violence the way some vampires do. To see him have to become the Captain once more … The cold, calculating vampire that he was the day I woke up…"

She paused and looked around the room we'd been locked in. It was little more than glorified closet, to be honest. Big enough for us to stand or sit shoulder to shoulder, but not much else.

"And the addition of The Major as well…" Charlotte added, resting her head on my shoulder. "You have to remember through all of this, Bella, that Jasper, the man you love, mated, and are going to war for, is still inside him. The Major is a harsh, cold, cruel vampire. The very thing nightmares are made of"

I frowned and rested my head on hers, needing the comfort of our half embrace. Char and I had gotten so much loser these last few days. She knew me well enough to know when to push buttons, and when to back off … It was something Alice, and even Rosalie had never managed with me, simply because they were set in their ways and refused to change.

The door to our prison opened and newborns locked us in their vice like grips, dragging us towards Maria, who stood regal at the front door, even in leather pants and a bright red tank top.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked her.

"Authentication, Mi Dulce." Maria crooned. "They're here, so do try to make it look real, Ladies."

Char and I struggled against our captors as we were drug into the barren wasteland the compound sat on. At the edge of the property stood my mate, looking sexier than I'd ever seen him.

He leaned back on his heels, clad in black leather cowboy boots, with his left hand hooked in the pocket of his denim jeans. The tight black tee shirt he wore showed every contracted muscle in his lean chest as he reached for the cigarette hanging from his mouth with his free hand, bumping the low brim of his black cowboy hat out of his eyes with a casual flick.

"Jasper." I gasped, a desperate plea that fell on deaf ears. What I was pleading for, however, I couldn't tell you. My mind was solely on my mate, registering the barest hints of the other vampires around me.

"My, my, Major." Maria crooned, grinning widely. "Those are some mighty important friends you have."

"They're here because Aro told them to follow, Maria." Jasper growled, a low twang in his strikingly cold voice. I felt my dried veins freeze as his eyes raked over me, black, flat, and fathomless. "Why are they here?"

"Maria gave a cold laugh. "I don't suffer traitors, Major, and little Charlotte was stupid enough to come to my camp; with her little friend, too."

A low growl echoed from Peter, who stood at Jasper's right. Jasper stopped him with a look and faced Maria. "Release our mates, Maria, or I will end you."

"I can't do that, Major." Maria said. The grip around my arms tightened painfully, causing me to cry out.

Jasper growled.

"I'd like something from you, my pet." Maria told him. "Come home."

"No."

I screamed. Glass shattered in window panes when char and my screams pierced the air with the removal of our arms. This was beyond anything I'd felt before. I could feel each nerve as they were exposed to the air, and it stung.

"Do you want to try for another?" Maria asked, her voice velvet.

Dry sob wracked my body, unshedable tears in my eyes as venom leaked from the stump at my shoulder, causing the nerves to roar in pain.

A low growl rolled from Jasper's throat. "I'm going to take immense pleasure in ending you, Maria." He murmured, his voice unlike I'd ever hear before. I could feel the chill as it rolled at a snail's pace down my spine. "Release my mate, and the other female, or you die."

Maria's smirk turned sadistic. "Certainly, Major." And my arm was flung across the gap between us to land at Jasper's feet.

I whimpered, feeling every bounce, rock, and grain of sand that touched the gaping end.

Jasper's growl doubled and before anyone could blink, let alone move to stop him, a newborn was in shreds beside me, unable to move to pull himself together.

Maria looked worried now.

"Do you know how sweet your fear tastes on my senses, Maria?" Jasper crooned dangerously. "Do you know how long I've waited to see you tremble before the monster of your own creation?"

"Jasper." Alice hissed. "Stop this. You can't touch Maria without starting an all out war. She's done nothing against the law. You can't touch her as a Volturi."

Jasper's eyes turned obsidian as they focused on his ex wife. "I do believe, Seer, that I am more than within my rights to defend my mate as she's being tortured."

"Not when she's trespassing on my territory." Maria growled.

Jasper roared. "Then I won't be Volturi."

"Jasper." I whimpered.

Peter followed Jasper's lead and the two moved before another word could be said. The newborns fell to bits, and I found myself in the arms of my mate, with Maria restrained.

"JASPER!" Alice shrieked.

"I need you to hold on a moment longer, my mate." His words were still cold. He set me next to charlotte, who was clutching her dismembered arm to her shoulder, already fusing the pieces together. Her eyes alone belied her pain.

Maria growled as Peter held her vulnerable. Jasper passed her to face Alice. "Tell your masters that I defend what's mine above all others, from all others. If they attempt to force my cooperation again, their ends will not be swift, but slow, drawn out, and painful."

I could feel the outer edge of ear that he was feeding the four of them. Alec pushed Alice behind him, ready to fight. Edward didn't even move to defend Jane, but crouched low.

"No one betrays the Volturi." Jane snarled. I watched in horror and pain as Jasper hit the ground, his back arching up from the sheer force of the pain Jane was feeding him.

"NO!" I screamed, my shields going up around Jasper and Peter and Charlotte, Maria, and myself. Impulse, a third went up around the Volturi. They would watch as I brought him back to me.

Jasper sat up with a sadistic smirk on his face that I had never seen before. He'd been cold and cruel when dealing with Maria, but this was on a whole new Level.

Maria sat up between Charlotte and I and frowned. "Isabella, Allow me to introduce you to my greatest masterpiece. This is the true power of the Major."

"Oh, Jane, that was the stupidest move you could have ever made." Jasper said, his voice dropping several octaves and several degrees. "Release me, Isabella."

"I can't." I shook my head. "You'll …"

"Destroy those that stand against us." Jasper snarled harshly, "As you should be assisting me in doing. Release me so that I can end them once and for all."

"Major, she's too weak to control it." Peter pointed out. "She's lost too much venom and needs blood. Now. Everything she does now is instinct driven."

Jasper's eyes rounded on Peter and the other man dropped to his knee, bowing his head low. "I merely state the facts, Major."

Jasper looked over at me out of the corner of his eyes. "Maria, if you wish to keep your life, you'll retrieve her arm and help her fuse it back on. Obviously the Captain and I aren't getting out of this shield, so it'll be you. If you don't, I'll hunt you to the ends of the earth."

Maria gulped but nodded. She rose from her spot on the ground, slowly making her way over to where my arm was.

"Maria, if you so much as touch that arm, it will be considered a move against the Volturi." Alec snapped.

Maria shot him a look that clearly read 'you're kidding, right?' before she stooped to grab my arm. "Your threats don't scare me, Alec. I'll freely admit that I'm more scared at the confined, enraged, Major Jasper Whitlock, than I am of thirty-two vampires that think they rule the world."

Jane growled and glared at Maria for only a moment before her enraged eyes rounded on me. "You little whore."

I barely paid her any mind. Maria returned to my side and placed my arm against the stump, causing me to cry out as venom met venom in the open wound and nerves. Instantly I could feel the cells begin to repair themselves, fusing the arm back in place.

* * *

JPOV

All I could do was pace as my sire helped my mate refuse the arm those idiot newborns had removed.

I was restless. My frist time free in nearly 40 years, and my mate has me bound. She should be raining destruction at my side, not cowering at the sight of our former companions. They should pay for what they've done to my Goddess.

My sire and my sister share a look and a hushed conversation. My sire turns to me. "She needs blood. This is her first reattachment. She's lost a lot of venom."

My glare hardened. "Return, or it will be your life."

My former companion screamed in frustration as Maria shot off. "Charlotte, Peter, one of you had better start explaining what's going on right now."

Neither said a worked, like the good subordinates that they were.

"They wont answer you." Her brother said. "Not without Jasper's explicit order."

"That's just ridiculous." The pixie snapped.

"Permission to speak, Major?" Peter asked.

"Granted." I didn't want to listen to her shrieking. How the other had done it for so long was beyond me.

Peter nodded. "The man you're looking at isn't Jasper, Friend and brother. This is Major Jasper Whitlock, Destruction and Carnage Embodied."

Alice glared. "You're so full of shit, Peter. I've seen Jasper in Major Mode. This isn't it. This is him being a dick."

"No, Pixie." Charlotte chimed in. "What you've seen is Jasper channeling aspects of the Major."

I snarled at her and she shut her mouth. She had not been given leave to speak and she knew it.

I felt my mate's lust spike. How could she possibly be horny at a time like this?

I could also feel a frustrated Maria on the horizon. She must be having trouble with what she bagged. She had better hope it was anima and not human. I would not make my mate suffer guilt because of her lingering humanity.

"Jasper Whitlock, as your superior in the Volturi Guard, I order you to call of your mate so that we may return to Volterra." Jane snarled.

I glanced over at her momentarily before I resumed my pacing. She was stunned. Good. Major Jasper Whitlock bowed to no one.

"I keep telling you, he's not Jasper right now." Peter snarled.

I tuned out his pithy explanation about the dichotomy of myself and the other. Maria had returned with string of paralyzed and yowling bobcats for Isabella. Smart woman.

Maria and Charlotte helped her feed until she was capable of doing it alone. Maria offered the last of the bobcats to Charlotte.

Isabella, after what seemed like hours, finally rose and stretched her arms, proving they were intact.

She looked over at me and smirked. She tilted her head and looked thoughtful for a moment. Before anyone could move or even blink, which was saying something, my captain was expelled from the shield we were under, and placed in one of his own.

Bella walked up to me and smiled from just outside the bubble. Her eyes were black as the night sky, and the smirk she wore told of pain to come.

"Ares," She called softly, seductively, using one of the many nicknames I'd earned in my decades of war. "You smell of another woman."

If my dead heart beat, it would have stopped. The coldness in her voice gave life to another part of my anatomy, but her words sent a trill of unfamiliar fear down my spine. Surely she didn't think that I could …

"It explains quite a lot, actually." She continued. "Particularly why each member of the Guard wears such a gaudy accessory. Why even now, away from her influence, you wish to drag us back to that hell."

"Bella?" Maria asked, thoroughly confused.

"Athena." Charlotte responded, fully understanding what she was witnessing. My Goddess taking her place.

"The Goddess of Wisdom meets the God of War." Peter explained.

I snarled at them and turned back to my mate. She loked positively feral.

"I don't like it." She said, stepping into the bubble of her own creation. "I want that scent off you."

"NO!"

Both our heads snapped around to the pixie.

"Care to explain why, Alice?" ISabella asked. "Am I to live through eternity with my mate smelling of another female? I notice that neither my former companion, nor your own mate bear the same scent. This tells me that their pendants are merely decorative to hide those members under Chelsea's influence."

My eyes shifted to my mate. "Explain."

"It's Chelsea's scent you wear, Ares. My guess is that it's how her power works, and it resonates from the volturi medalian hanging from your neck."

I shook my head. "My mate, you do not understand."

"Oh, but I do." She purred. "You're choices are clear, Major. Remove it, or lose me forever."

The other roared. No, we could not lose her, but nor could we remove the symbol of our loyalty.

I stepped forward and wrapped my hand firmly around her arm. "You will not leave. "

" You think I would leave?" She asked, wrapping her hands around my face. "I would be taken, by the very masters you serve. My powers put to work so that they might dominate our kind. Execute our daughter and her mate. Our kids."

I could feel the conflict in me rise. My coven. Were where they? That feeling hat returned. That something was wrong.

The thought of her being taken, used, as I once hd been, enraged me. Maria had used me for decades for my powers alone. I would not see my mate, my goddess, used that way. She was worth so much more than that.

My nose began to burn with each inhale. Something was wrong. My mates scent was repulsing me. This was wrong. She shouldn't … She should be right next to me at all times.

I closed my eyes, and before I realized what was going on, her hand had moved and ripped the pendant from my throat, throwing it fifty feet south.

"You are not Volturi." She told me, holding me to her. "You are Major Jasper Whitlock. Most feared vampire on the planet. You are the God of War, and you bow to no vampire."

"Edward, stop her, before she ruins everything." Alice hissed.

"Jasper, you know where your loyalities lie. With Aro, and the brothers. Our kings." Edward said, his voice low, and smooth. Nearly hypnotic in its rhythm.

I fell to my knees and clutched my head as some a damn broke lose at the same time something warm cocooned me. I remembered everything. All of our plans, everything that was set in motion. Aro had done something to me. To the other. Locked us to them. They tried to get us to followed them. It would have thrown our whole campaign off.

"Jasper?" Isabella asked, lifting my face to look her in the eye.

"Not quite, Isabella." I smirked at her. "But, her hold has broke."

She sighed in relief. "I can deal with you, Major. What I can't deal with is my mate being in the hands of _them_."

I nodded and the two of us rose to our feet. The Shields around Maria, Charlotte, and Peter fell and all of us turned to the Volturi representatives in our reach. Bella's smile turned feral once again. "You picked the wrong coven to fuck with, Alice."

"Something for you to relay to your masters." I told them, and focused all of the pain that Isabella and Renesmee have suffered at their hands on them. I smiled maliciously as Jane, the one known for her ability to inflict pain, Alec, who made you numb, the future seeing pixie, and the mind reading bitch, all crumbled under the pain they and their masters had caused.

"This is a fraction of what you've caused." I snarled at them. "A mere fraction. You crumble, where my mate and daughter still stand. That is what you need to remember. We are stronger and we will no bow."

The second I released them for another wave, they were gone. Running off into the wilderness and back to their masters.

I turned to look at Isabella with a smirk. She returned the look. She had returned me to my rightful place, using all her cunning and skill. She was truly meant to be by my side, my Goddess of War. My Athena.

Her methods, however, left much to be desired.

"You're going to be punished, Isabella." I told her, running my hand over her cheek. "I don't like it when people endanger what's mine, and that's exactly what you did."

"Oh, but Jasper, I was never in any danger." She smirked at me. "I planned this with Maria before you ever arrived. I knew exactly what was happening … It just hurt like a bitch."

I frowned. They planned this? "You played me."

"I freed you." She snarled. "I brought you back because without you, we can't win this war. Because without you, I am nothing but half of a whole. You took me, Jasper. You took me and healed me, made me whole, only to have those bastards use that connection to rip you away, just like they have everything else in my life."

What was she talking about? She planned and executed my return to her side flawlessly, from what I could tell. "Isabella, you don't…"

"No, damn it." She snarled, her hands curling into claws. "I need you. I love you. And I will have you back." She launched herself at me as a large dome rose above us, her shield keeping the others away.

* * *

CharPOV

"Should we stop them?" Maria asked. "I've never seen mates go at each other like this."

She was right, of course. Bella wasn't holding anything back from The Major. She was beauty in her fury. He was destruction personified. While he could never do her permanent damage, he held fast against her, blocking and countering every attack she mounted, bringing him back with each landed strike.

"Leave them to it." Peter told us. "He did the same for he when she was slave to her instincts. Our strongest instinct is to fight, and that's what they need. The Major knows that he could never take her in a hand to hand fight, but that's not the point of this. She's just trying to get back what's her's. We need Jasper right now, not the Major. We need Charisma, not Dominance. "

I watched as Jasper took a snap at her, trying to rip a piece of her throat out. "Are you sure? He looks pretty serious."

"They'll be fine." Peter assured me. "They'll find us when they're done. Maria has a compound to pull together, and I'm taking you hunting. Now."

I was confused. "Peter, how are you …"

"I was never under their control, Char." Peter told me as he led me off towards the nearest town. "Chelsea can't control those who are prepared for her. She has to be able weave her scent and power around the bond she wishes to use as an anchor without the bonds giving off active vibrations."

"Then how did you prevent her from using our mating bond?" Char asked. "And why did it feel as if it separated?"

Peter growled. "When she attempted to pierce the bond, she completely severed it. I had it vibrating so hard because I was hoping she would choose I different one, that I could sever completely, or my bond to Jasper, which he could have overruled her influence, once you guys had gotten him back."

I stared at him in shock. "We're not mates anymore?"

"We're not _mated_ anymore. We're still mates, Mi Dulce. We just have to refinalize the bond." Peter explained, stopping us and pulling me into his arms. "I swear to you, that we'll do it before the fighting starts. I swear."

I nodded, unshedable tears welling in my eyes. "I can't believe that she could possibly have broken our bond."

"I don't think she knows what she did." Peter sighed. "Or she would have done it to Jasper. At any rate, they never controlled me. I stayed with Jasper to make sure that he came after Bella."

I nodded. "Lets hunt, then find somewhere secluded. I need you Peter. I can still feel the bond reaching…"

Peter gave me a lecherous grin as he swept me off my feet and carried me off.

* * *

A/n: Well? What did you think? Did I do the Major justice? How do you feel about the further explanations? Let me know. I love hearing from you guys. See you all next time.

Leggy freak003.


	18. Chapter 17

A/n: Sweet Jeebus, it's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry about that. I got kidnapped by IronMan and Loki. Been kinda lost in the Marvel Universe for a while. I'm not complaining though. It honest to god too Paul to get my happy ass back into this fandom. Still love Jasper, but i'm a multishipper. Nothing that can be done about it.

Anywho, here's chapter 18, cause you're all so awesome. Seriously, over 500 reviews. I motherfucking love you all!

D/c: I was going to come up with something witty to put here, but my wit seems to elude me at the moment. don't you hate it when that happens?

Chapter 17

* * *

BPOV

Jasper sat on the ground with his head in his hands and his hat perched on one knee. "Explain this to me one more time …"

I sighed. "You know, Jasper, for a vampire, you're being awfully slow."

"I'm sorry." He murmured. "I'm just not sure I understand this."

"It's very easy." Peter said from where he sat with Char nestled contently between his legs. "Chelsea's power works with a combination of bonds and scents. She can use any bond you have to bind you to whoever she deems fit, simply by attaching that bond to another. Like she did your mating bond with Bella to Aro. All she did was create a third branch from that bond to connect to him. To solidify that bond, you need to be constantly surrounded by her scent. In the case of some bonds, like the mating bond, the other person needs to be present as well. Usually this is no problem as it ties both parties to that person, but because Bella is a mental shield …"

"It didn't work and we had to hunt her down." Jasper said. "I got that part. What I don't understand is why you two went to Maria, of all people, and let her put you in a position of vulnerability in order to get us back from the Volturi."

"Because we didn't know what had happened." I told him. "I'm dumb as hell about the ins and outs of being a vampire, and Char couldn't think around the fact that her bond with Peter had been severed. She's completely useless without him. No offense, Char."

"None taken."

"So you went to Maria?" Jasper asked.

"Well I couldn't very well go to Carlisle. In the state I was in, I'd have probably killed him on sight." I responded. "Maria was the only other vampire I could think of that knew as much, if not more, about vampires. She was already helping us, and I thought it would work out in our favor."

"Except that it nearly didn't." Jasper snarled. "If the Major hadn't reacted the way he did to you losing an arm, Maria could have had you dismembered and in a pyre before you'd have had a chance to defend yourself."

I sighed. "Overprotective bastard."

"We've learned one thing out of this experience though." Peter pointed out. "The Major loves Bella just as much as you do, Jasper. He'll do anything in his power to protect her, probably more so than even you'd be willing to."

"That's because he feels no remorse." Jasper said darkly, glaring at the other male.

"Exactly."

My eyes swiveled south as A dust cloud rose in the distance. At the front I could see a very large, very tired wolf. Behind him were five damphir and ten vampires.

Jake reached me and crashed to the ground with his head in my lap, panting hard.

I stroked the back of his neck as he tried to catch his breath. "You did good Jake. I'm so proud of you."

He gave me a wolfish grin and closed his eyes, ready to sleep for a month, I'm sure.

Nessie dropped down beside him and rested her hand on his waist, a small smile on his features. "As soon as he's rested, we need to get him some food. He's going to be very hungry when he wakes."

I nodded and turned to the other vampires and Damphir present. "Nahuel, Ladies, it's lovely to see you again."

"We really should stop meeting under these circumstances, Isabella." Zafrina said.

"I know only too well." I laughed. "Hopefully this will be the last time."

She nodded. "So what now?"

"If you want, you can continue on to Death Valley." Jasper told her. "I suggest hunting on your way in, as we don't know how soon the Volturi will be coming for us. Or you can stick with us. We'll be headed that way in a few days, as soon as the warlords are ready to move."

Huilen frowned and looked at the Damphir. "Perhaps we should continue on and take Jake and Nessie with us. That way you don't have to worry about the newborns attacking them."

"I agree." Jasper told her. "Do any of you have abilities that allow you to control others?"

"Unfortuantely," one of the new vampires said, "we're mostly ungifted."

Jasper nodded. "Alright then. Once Jake wakes, we'll get him fed, and then you all can move on."

One of the unknown females looked him over, then me, and then at Peter and Char. "What has happened between the four of you? Your Bonds are all in a delicate state."

I gave her a weary look.

"I assure you, Bella, Patrice can only see bonds." Senna said, smiling gently at me.

I turned to the woman. "We've recently had a run-in with Chelsea of the Volturi. Nothing that isn't taken care of."

She frowned. "I'm familiar with her ability. Someone else, besides one of you four, will have to kill her."

"Why is that?" Charlotte asked.

"Because your bonds are so fragile." Patrice said. "Chelsea could easily overpower you again, particularly you and your mate, given that the bond is not severed, merely weak. All he would need is the right catalyst, whatever her's is, to put it back to strength."

"Translation, Jasper can't go catching a whiff of Chelsea's scent." Peter sighed. "Great."

I sighed as I stroked Jake's head. So we would never be out of the clear as long as Chelsea lived. I guess it was a good thing she was already on the list.

We sat there for a long time. In the distance we could hear the screams of the burning men that Maria had hand picked for her army. She wanted them to be as physically strong as possible. There were a few women, of course. Mates and such, that would turn downright vicious once the actual fighting began. We had, according to Jasper, 2 days before they would awake, and then a further 3 before he would have them controlled enough to move. It had been our bad luck to start all of this at culling time, but we would have roughly 150 newly turned vampires at our disposal.

I tried not to focus on the loss of human life, but it tugged something in me, to know that these men and women wouldn't live to the end of the week. Aro would be coming, and the newborns were our weed-eaters. Jasper said it was necessary, that there were always casualties in war, but I didn't see it that way, and neither would my kids. I came to the conclusion that this was the main reason that Sam had refused to join us, because of the monumental cost it would take to create an army to take on our leaders.

When Jake finally stirred, Nessie grinned brightly. He lifted his large furry head from my lap and licked my hand before he stood on all four legs, shaking the cobwebs out of his head and stretching the tired bones in his body.

I smiled and rose. "Come on, Big Guy. Do you want to just hunt down some deer or do you want actual human food?"

Jake blinked his eyes very deliberately once.

"The Deer?"

He nodded his huge wolfy head.

Nessie grimaced. "I understand his viewpoint, but is there anything out here that doesn't taste like piss?"

All eyes landed on her for a second and Jasper rose. "Come on, Ness. We'll get you some cats. The Jaguars and Cougars are pretty good down here."

She nodded. "See you in a bit, then, Jake."

Jake nodded and licked her cheek before he started to trot away. I followed at an easy pace as we headed for one of the nearest forests.

Peter and Charlotte could handle our contemporaries. We needed to get our kids fed.

* * *

JPOV

Watching Ness hunt was simply astounding. I'd had the opportunity to observe her before, but never like this. She had truly begun to embrace her more vampiric side.

She stood from her kill and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, only to lick the trail of blood off.

"Daddy would have never let me make my own kill." She murmured almost too quietly for me to hear.

"Ness, I'm not your dad." I told her, frowning.

"I know that, Jazz. It's just …" She turned to look at me, her big brown eyes, so much like her mother's when she was human, so sad a non-empath could have sensed it. "There are days I wished you were." she told me.

"Renesmee…"

She shook her head and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. They were getting a little long these days. "It's not that I don't love my father. Part of me always will, but … I don't know, it's just that I'm not as strong as mom was. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him for what he's done. And you take such good care of us, all of us, in ways that he didn't. He never accepted the Pack the way you have, Jasper. Sure he considered Jake his son, but that was because of what Jake was and is to me. He never accepted the whole pack. Not like you have. You take care to make sure that each and every one of them is taken care of. That's something they haven't really had since they left Sam's Pack and the Reservation."

"Angel, that's mostly your Mama." I told her, trying to shake this off. I honestly didn't know what she was talking about. I mean, Bella and I had discussed what Leah had once told her about Being Pack Mom and Alpha to the Alpha, but this was some seriously heavy shit that this little peanut was laying on me.

"No!" she snapped. "Its you, too." She walked over to me and took my hand, showing me memories. Of all of us together. Strategizing, training, talking. Things I thought she hadn't seen. Moments of me talking to some of the guys, even Leah, when they were asking me for advice, or just looking for someone to unload on. Embry was honestly the worst. Leah drove him absolutely crazy, and he didn't know how to deal with her.

Then the memories changed. Edward with some of them. He would talk down to them. Give answers to their questions, but it was as if he thought that they were stupid. Beneath him. Except Jake, because Jake would have given up everything to protect Reneesme, and that was more important to Edward than everything.

"Don't you understand?" Nessie asked. "And now we're going to war, they're going to war, to save you, to save mom, the coven, all of us, because that's what they do. They protect who their bound to because that's the magic of the protectors. And you've been deemed worthy by the ancestors, those that came before, Taha Aki, to be protected by his direct line. And it's because of who you've become, Jasper."

A vision hit me again. Of all of us, on a ranch somewhere in the plains. Her children, the other pups from the rest of the pack, running around the yard, playing, while the four of us vampire stood on the porch, just under the shade, where we wouldn't sparkle. The sense of time she gave me placed it long after our battle. This is what she wanted. In the end.

I pulled her into a hug and kissed the side of her head. "It doesn't matter who your father is, Reneesme. You'll always be my baby girl. You were from the first day you were born, and that's all there is to it. It doesn't matter that Rosalie was there to take care of you, or that your father was the one who delivered you. From the moment you were brought into this world, you were mine. You were the reason I fought that day. You, and your Mama."

"I love you, Papá." she said, breathing deep.

"I love you, too, Niña." I told her.

I led her back to where the others had gathered, to wait for Bella and Jake to return. I knew that Jake was going to have a field day when she showed him these memories. She showed Jake everything.

I sat down on the dirt and pulled the brim of my hat low while lighting a cigarette, just waiting for my mate and son to return to me. A century ago I sat in this same spot, wondering how the hell I was going to survive the wars and find something better in life than death and destruction. Today, I sit here wondering just how I was going to keep my 'something better' safe.

* * *

BPOV

Jake and I made our way back to the clearing, the wolf at my side having eaten his fill of deer. He was ready to go and go hard. He needed to lead the others back to Death Valley, keeping them out of the view of Alice.

We came to a halt and Jake went straight to Nessie, who was sitting next to Jasper with a peaceful smile on her face. She grinned wider seeing me as she placed a hand on Jake's cheek.

I looked at Jasper who sent me some reassurance and mouthed that he would explain later. I nodded and turned to the nomads.

"Alright, are you all ready to go?" I asked, looking around.

There was a murmur of assent.

"Good." Jasper said. "Cause you'll be heading out in just a moment. We don't expect the Volturi to be far behind us, so here's the deal. Hunt on your way in. Do not do it near the wolf or my daughter, you understand? You break away, you keep your mind focused on the hunt, and off of what's coming soon. The last thing we need is for one of you to tip off the Seer that the Itialians have with them."

There were nods and murmurs all around again, and Zafrina and her sisters stepped forward. "We will make sure your orders are obeyed, Major. I must ask though, what of the Damphir?"

"They'll be sitting this fight out." Jasper said.

All four females and Nahuel roared their protests.

"This isn't fair, Jasper! We should be allowed to fight." Nahuel snapped. "This is our existence and safety as well that is at stake."

"We're aware of that." Jasper explained to him. "As Nessie posed the same argument, I'll give you the same test I did her." He held out his hand. "Rip my hand off."

Murmurs again, as some of the vampires thought he'd lost his mind.

Nahuel glared at him but remained silent, knowing full well that he wasn't strong enough to do so.

"I didn't think so. You're the only one of the Damphirs that is venomous, Nahuel, so you would stand a chance, but the females are not, and cannot therefore hold their own against a full fledged vampire." Jasper explained to him. "Because of this, it was decided that all Damphirs would sit it out, and you'll be there to defend them, along with a couple of the wolves, just in case anyone breaks our line. Understand?"

Nahuel nodded. "I do."

"Excellent." Jasper said, smirking. "With that said, see you all in Death Valley."

* * *

A/n: Yeah, it's coming close. And it's getting fun. This is going to be really good. Newborn Roundup is up next, folks. Time to get down to the nitty gritty. See you all next time.

Leggy Freak003


	19. Chapter 18 Sneek Peek

JPOV

Once the others had cleared the horizon, I turned to Isabella, Peter, and Charlotte. There were still things that needed to be done. The newborns would be done shortly, and they would need fed and transported.

"Peter, Char, you know the drill." I told them. "Transporting newborns is a pain in the ass, but it needs to be done. The other warlords are headed this way with theirs, but a pandemic is about to hit the southwest. We need to make sure it's completely controlled. This is what we want the Volturi focused on."

Peter and Charlotte nodded, both going into military mode. It was clear in the way they were standing that they were ready for this, despite the fact that they absolutely hated the way we began this life. It was the mark of how well I had trained them and how much they believed in this cause that they were willing to go back to what they once were in order to be what they had become.

I turned to Bella. "You don't leave my side. This is going to be nasty, and dangerous. I don't want you out of my sight, do you hear me?"

"Yes sir, Major." Bella said with a salute.

I looked over at Peter. "She thinks she's so cute when she's playing soldier."

"Unfortunately, Major, Playtime is over."

I nodded. "So it is." I could feel the all too familiar haze of The Major coming over me and I knew that it was time to get this show on the road. "Lets go."

Bella fell in behind me on my right side, Peter on my left, with Char right behind him. As we made our approach, Peter and I stripped off our shirts and Charlotte shredded the sleeves and most of the bottom off of her's. The scars would serve as a warning to the newborns that we were not to be trifled with. Bella wrapped her physical shield around herself tight, and I spared them only a glance before I let the Major take what control he needed for us to be effective.

I walked into Maria's camp, as I had so many times before, to the newly turned starting to wander around and get their bearings for the first time. I could feel the hunger, the rage, the fear. All of it made for a cocktail of emotion that took me back to my beginnings and brought forth the monster that Maria had created all those years ago.

I washed them all in a wave of calm. My gift was so much stronger now, more precise. I knew could recognize a wider range of emotions, and manipulate them accordingly. I started weaving comraderie into the calm, the feeling of being in control. It helped them to get their bearings quickly. I could already feel it taking effect. They were all cognitive. They were readily able to recognize what was going on around them, without the distraction that came with that first wave of thirst.

They would need to feed, and it wouldn't be animals they were craving.

"Pay attention." I snapped. All eyes focused on me and the three other vampires behind me. I realized quickly that getting these newborns fed was going to be worlds easier with Isabella capable of holding them _inside _one of her shields. "Welcome to your new life." I began, remembering the speech I'd given hundreds of times in the past. "Your humanity is now gone. You've become one of the undead. Vampire. You feed on human blood to survive. These are the new facts of life that you will learn to abide by or you will die. You were brought here for one purpose. To fight. If you do not fight when and where you are told, you will die. If you in anyway give away our existence to the humans, you will die. Your old life is over. Get used to it."

I could feel the arousal coming off of Isabella and had to hide my smirk. There would be time for that later. I needed her to focus right now, so I hit her with a wave of calm as well.

Returning my attention to the newborns, I noticed that a few of them were starting to get twitchy. This wasn't going to do at all. "That burn you're currently feeling in your throat is the thirst. The Thirst for blood. We'll be getting that taken care of momentarily. There's just one more thing that you need to know. Your Creator."

I watched Maria walk out of her house in a pair of black leather pants and a tank top, capped off with a pair of spike heeled boots. Her usual look when it came to dealing with the newborns. She always had been a diva.

She looked over them with a smile and looked to me.

"This is Maria. She is the one that created you and the one that will be giving the orders, along with myself and the others you see before you." I told the newborns as they turned to look at her. "Is that understood?"

There was a scramble of emotions. Mostly fear, rage, and sadness.

One of the newborns, a young female, launched herself at Maria with a snarl. "HOW DARE YOU!"

Before anyone could blink the little female slammed against a blue shield that I knew Isabella had thrown up around her.

"Is there a problem, dear?" Isabella asked, her voice cool, collected. It went straight to my dick. Pity there was no time to reaffirm that bond of ours that was so damn shaky right now.

"She destroyed my life!" the newborn squealed, her voice already grating on my nerves. "I was going to be a model. I was going to go somewhere in the world. SHE TOOK THAT FROM ME!"

Isabella gave a dark chuckle and moved through the mess of newborns with a grace that I'd only seen when she hunted. She stepped through the barrier she'd placed around the girl and ran her fingers down her cheek. "Sweetie, you don't know what kind of gift you've been given. If you survive, you'll be young. Forever. Never growing old. Never getting sick."

"You mean I've lost all the things that made me human and good." The newborn snarled.

Isabella's smirk was cruel. Her fingers curled into claws on the girl's cheek and digging in. "Then perhaps we ought to kill you now?"

Fear washed through the girl as she cried out in pain. "No, please …" it was garbled, marred by Isabella's fingers, but the plea was understood. She wanted to live, for as long as she could.

"Then you'll shut your mouth, you'll get back in line, and you'll do as you're told." Isabella said as if talking to a petulant child. "Is that understood."

A whimper was all the confirmation that she had before she tore her fingers from the girl's face and shoved her out of the shield and back into her place. The girl curled in on herself and started sobbing there in the Mexico dirt, clutching her mutilated face. The other newborns flinched as Isabella flitted back to my side.

Maria nodded in approval and turned her eyes on me, giving me a look that told me we would be having a conversation later. "If only she'd been born a century ago, eh, Major?" she asked with a smirk.

I barely spared Maria a glance. I didn't have time to deal with her taunting. If my calculations were right, and they usually were, the other War Lords would be moving this way soon, so I needed to get these brats fed and some semblance of trained before daybreak.

Maria seemed to understand this and nodded. "Get them fed for the night, Major. I want to be ready to move with the next moon."

I nodded and looked over to Isabella. "Peter, Charlotte, and I will take them one each at a time. I want you to hold the others, and the ones we bring back."

Isabella looked at me in concern. "Are you going to be alright?" She asked as her shields flashed up around the newborns.

I grabbed her hand and ran my teeth over the bite at her wrist. "I'll be fine. No worries."

She nodded and walked over to where Maria was standing, striking up a conversation as if they'd been friends for years. I shook my head and turned to Peter and Charlotte. "Pick one, take them hunting. I'm going to get the little one Isabella injured healed up and fed."

Peter and Charlotte saluted and wandered over and picked two at random. Bella let them go without breaking stride in her conversation and I took the little bitch that had tried her hand at being a badass by the arm, leading her off as well.

It was going to be a long damn night.

A/n: I felt really bad about not having posted a chapter in a while, so I figured I would give a sneak preview of what was to come. Unfortunately, I'm in the process of switching computers, so until I can get a word program compatable with the one I was using, I won't be able to post any new chapters for a while, which was the other reason for this post. To let you know that it was going to be another month or so before I could even being working on the rest of this chapter. Sorry about that guys. I'll be back to work, soon though. I'm bound and determined, now that I'm getting back into my stride with a whole host of new ideas.

See you all soon. I Promise.

Leggy Freak 003


	20. Chapter 18 Full

A/n: Hello, Girls and Boys, I'm BAAAAAAAAAAACK~ Yes! I have a trial version of the Word 2010 program and am diligently working towards purchasing it. I also have for you the FULL version of Chapter 19. Which i sincerely hope that you will enjoy to it's FULLEST extent. So without further ado, i give you, Chapter 19

D/c: All recognizable Characters, Places, situations, and themes are Copywright and trademark of Stephanie Meyer and Summit Entertainment. I just play with them because the owners did it wrong.

Chapter 19

* * *

JPOV

Once the others had cleared the horizon, I turned to Isabella, Peter, and Charlotte. There were still things that needed to be done. The newborns would be done shortly, and they would need fed and transported.

"Peter, Char, you know the drill." I told them. "Transporting newborns is a pain in the ass, but it needs to be done. The other warlords are headed this way with theirs, but a pandemic is about to hit the southwest. We need to make sure it's completely controlled. This is what we want the Volturi focused on."

Peter and Charlotte nodded, both going into military mode. It was clear in the way they were standing that they were ready for this, despite the fact that they absolutely hated the way we began this life. It was the mark of how well I had trained them and how much they believed in this cause that they were willing to go back to what they once were in order to be what they had become.

I turned to Bella. "You don't leave my side. This is going to be nasty, and dangerous. I don't want you out of my sight, do you hear me?"

"Yes sir, Major." Bella said with a salute.

I looked over at Peter. "She thinks she's so cute when she's playing soldier."

"Unfortunately, Major, Playtime is over."

I nodded. "So it is." I could feel the all too familiar haze of The Major coming over me and I knew that it was time to get this show on the road. "Let's go."

Bella fell in behind me on my right side, Peter on my left, with Char right behind him. As we made our approach, Peter and I stripped off our shirts and Charlotte shredded the sleeves and most of the bottom off of her's. The scars would serve as a warning to the newborns that we were not to be trifled with. Bella wrapped her physical shield around herself tight, and I spared them only a glance before I let the Major take what control he needed for us to be effective.

I walked into Maria's camp, as I had so many times before, to the newly turned starting to wander around and get their bearings for the first time. I could feel the hunger, the rage, the fear. All of it made for a cocktail of emotion that took me back to my beginnings and brought forth the monster that Maria had created all those years ago.

I washed them all in a wave of calm. My gift was so much stronger now, more precise. I knew could recognize a wider range of emotions, and manipulate them accordingly. I started weaving camaraderie into the calm, the feeling of being in control. It helped them to get their bearings quickly. I could already feel it taking effect. They were all cognitive. They were readily able to recognize what was going on around them, without the distraction that came with that first wave of thirst.

They would need to feed, and it wouldn't be animals they were craving.

"Pay attention." I snapped. All eyes focused on me and the three other vampires behind me. I realized quickly that getting these newborns fed was going to be worlds easier with Isabella capable of holding them _inside _one of her shields. "Welcome to your new life." I began, remembering the speech I'd given hundreds of times in the past. "Your humanity is now gone. You've become one of the undead. Vampire. You feed on human blood to survive. These are the new facts of life that you will learn to abide by or you will die. You were brought here for one purpose. To fight. If you do not fight when and where you are told, you will die. If you in anyway give away our existence to the humans, you will die. Your old life is over. Get used to it."

I could feel the arousal coming off of Isabella and had to hide my smirk. There would be time for that later. I needed her to focus right now, so I hit her with a wave of calm as well.

Returning my attention to the newborns, I noticed that a few of them were starting to get twitchy. This wasn't going to do at all. "That burn you're currently feeling in your throat is the thirst. The Thirst for blood. We'll be getting that taken care of momentarily. There's just one more thing that you need to know. Your Creator."

I watched Maria walk out of her house in a pair of black leather pants and a tank top, capped off with a pair of spike heeled boots. Her usual look when it came to dealing with the newborns. She always had been a diva.

She looked over them with a smile and looked to me.

"This is Maria. She is the one that created you and the one that will be giving the orders, along with myself and the others you see before you." I told the newborns as they turned to look at her. "Is that understood?"

There was a scramble of emotions. Mostly fear, rage, and sadness.

One of the newborns, a young female, launched herself at Maria with a snarl. "HOW DARE YOU!"

Before anyone could blink the little female slammed against a blue shield that I knew Isabella had thrown up around her.

"Is there a problem, dear?" Isabella asked, her voice cool, collected. It went straight to my dick. Pity there was no time to reaffirm that bond of ours that was so damn shaky right now.

"She destroyed my life!" the newborn squealed, her voice already grating on my nerves. "I was going to be a model. I was going to go somewhere in the world. SHE TOOK THAT FROM ME!"

Isabella gave a dark chuckle and moved through the mess of newborns with a grace that I'd only seen when she hunted. She stepped through the barrier she'd placed around the girl and ran her fingers down her cheek. "Sweetie, you don't know what kind of gift you've been given. If you survive, you'll be young. Forever. Never growing old. Never getting sick."

"You mean I've lost all the things that made me human and good." The newborn snarled.

Isabella's smirk was cruel. Her fingers curled into claws on the girl's cheek and digging in. "Then perhaps we ought to kill you now?"

Fear washed through the girl as she cried out in pain. "No, please …" it was garbled, marred by Isabella's fingers, but the plea was understood. She wanted to live, for as long as she could.

"Then you'll shut your mouth, you'll get back in line, and you'll do as you're told." Isabella said as if talking to a petulant child. "Is that understood?"

A whimper was all the confirmation that she had before she tore her fingers from the girl's face and shoved her out of the shield and back into her place. The girl curled in on herself and started sobbing there in the Mexico dirt, clutching her mutilated face. The other newborns flinched as Isabella flitted back to my side.

Maria nodded in approval and turned her eyes on me, giving me a look that told me we would be having a conversation later. "If only she'd been born a century ago, eh, Major?" she asked with a smirk.

I barely spared Maria a glance. I didn't have time to deal with her taunting. If my calculations were right, and they usually were, the other War Lords would be moving this way soon, so I needed to get these brats fed and some semblance of trained before daybreak.

Maria seemed to understand this and nodded. "Get them fed for the night, Major. I want to be ready to move with the next moon."

I nodded and looked over to Isabella. "Peter, Charlotte, and I will take them one each at a time. I want you to hold the others, and the ones we bring back."

Isabella looked at me in concern. "Are you going to be alright?" She asked as her shields flashed up around the newborns.

I grabbed her hand and ran my teeth over the bite at her wrist. "I'll be fine. No worries."

She nodded and walked over to where Maria was standing, striking up a conversation as if they'd been friends for years. I shook my head and turned to Peter and Charlotte. "Pick one, take them hunting. I'm going to get the little one Isabella injured healed up and fed."

Peter and Charlotte saluted and wandered over and picked two at random. Bella let them go without breaking stride in her conversation and I took the little bitch that had tried her hand at being a badass by the arm, leading her off as well.

It was going to be a long damn night.

* * *

BPOV

By the time the sun rose all of the newborns had been fed and were quietly milling around, trying to get used to their new bodies. The one girl that I had maimed was sitting off to the side, holding her face together and it gave me a sort of twisted pleasure to see her that way. I didn't understand it. Why should her pain give me pleasure?

Jasper and Peter were standing off to the side, watching carefully, undeterred by the sheer number of the newborns. Maria had turned roughly 27 people total. It was strange to see, to be honest. Jasper was perfectly calm, seeing them all together, preventing any fights that came up with cool efficiency, throwing off calming waves when the newborns got too fidgety. Seeing him like this did things to me that I would rather not think about right this moment.

Maria stepped up behind me with a cool smirk on her features. "It's a shame you weren't around for his heyday. The Major was truly magnificent back then."

"This is still all very strange to me." I replied. "I remember the way it was, before everything happened, and this is so …"

"Different?" Maria laughed. "Yes, it is. But it's a way of life. You aren't the only one that was changed in a different way of life. I was as well. I was turned by a nomad that had passed through shortly after Benito had started his campaign. He stuck around the south for a while, and kept me around for protection, though he died shortly after my fifth year. After that, I wandered around for a little while, learning all I could about what I was and how we lived. I spent a century in the north as a nomad before I came back. I was restless. When you're changed in this environment, it's difficult to live any other way. The only reason that the Major and the Captain managed it is because of the lifestyles that they chose after they left. The Major had that big brute that he was living with that was a constant source of violence in his life. He was able to cope with the urges to rip something apart due to the daily wrestling matches, as they called them. The big guy never figured out that Jasper was holding back on him all this time, technically training him in a way that was so familiar. The Captain and Charlotte began hunting the dredges of society. The violence in that alone was enough to sustain them."

"You're telling me that the vampires here are programed for violence?" Bella asked.

Maria nodded. "We don't use the term newborn for no reason, Bella. A newborn vampire is very much like a young human. Everything that you experience in your first several years has a very definitive impact on what kind of vampire you'll become. You've known nothing but heartache and pain since you were turned. You've become a very cynical and volatile vampire. There aren't many who would make plans like yours and actually carry it out. You've got balls of diamond, _Chica_, and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise."

We stood in silence for a while, watching as one by one the newborns were fed, and when it was all done, the training began. I could see now why Jasper had earned the name 'God of War'. Not only was he lethal in a fight, but the way he handled his soldiers, it was beautiful. They were little more than pawns in his hand.

These newborns would be largely undertrained for the fight that was to come. Even I understood that much, but they were the best distraction that we could have ever hoped for. With the forces being brought in from the other warlords, we were going to have a good sized army to send them.

All of our allies were gathering in Death Valley, under the watchful eye of my boys, Leah, and the Denali coven. When Jasper and I arrived, training would intensify one hundred fold. I didn't want to lose anyone in this fight. I refused to. Ever my brain worked to figure out just how to keep our side from dying at the same time we ripped the Volturi asunder.

I could only smirk as Jasper put one of the newborns in his place without so much as touching him. This was going to be beautiful.

* * *

No POV

The world turned, shifted on it's axis, unaware of the fight that was about to take place. In all corners of the globe, vampires readied themselves for the fight ahead. In Mexico, training raged on in the camps, readying newborns for the first and probably last fight of their lives. In Italy, Aro and his brothers prepared to defend their control over the supernatural world. Never had they seen a fight like this before, and nor would they again.

Vampires began moving from all walks of life, all corners of all continents on one central point. Death Valley.

Humans would mark the coming days as nothing special. Just hours that pass in which they go on as if nothing happened.

For those of the Supernatural persuasion, the world was about to tilt, shift on it's axis, and begin anew.

And all who bore witness would be forever marked by what they would see.

It was true that a newborn vampire was shaped by their formative years, and after a century, they were cemented as who they would be, but change was possible. The Fates had deemed it necessary to change this culture, and change they would.

Though, for better or worse, only time would tell.

* * *

A/n: Yes, i know it's not much of an addition. I just couldn't figure out where to go with this chapter. I thought it would be longer than this, anyway. No worries, though, We're getting into the good part, this is almost the end of the transition. Next chapter we'll be transporting newborns. ;P

That said, I've decided to have a little reader participation. If YOU want to be killed by a newborn, be sure to tell me in your review and give me your _**FIRST NAME ONLY!**_ (i'm not violating anyone's privacy or putting them at risk to the crazies that haunt the internet and will therefore be making up the last names.) and a brief physical description. Hair, eyes, height, that kinda thing, and tell me how you want to die. viciously? daintily? (there's got to be a few picky eaters right?) Let me know.

Mind you i am going to limit this to probably fifteen or so, because i don't want this chapter to be super long, but We have to get the Volturi's attention, so if you don't mind your privacy being violated by Jasper and the warlords as they look through your stuff, by all means, let me know, and we'll kill you good. :D

See you there.

Leggy freak003


	21. Chapter 19

A/n: GUYS! HEY GUYS! I'M BACK! I HAVE AN UPDATE!

So, this chapter was a complete and utter pain in the ass and I'm not gonna lie, It was because of my brilliant idea at the end of the last chapter. BUT THAT'S OKAY GUYS! cause I got me a new writing program called ZenWriter that I'm going to be using in tandem with Word because it blanks out the rest of my screen unless I need to look something up. It's amazing. Comes with calming music, sound effects, and a soothing background for you to stare at instead of that boring old black and white. It's pretty badass. PM me if you want the download site, cause I will totally pimp this bitch. It's FREE!

In other news, apparently some of you weren't paying attention to the instructions at the bottom of last chapter. I was asking for newborn victims, not newborns. People who die to feed my little army. But that's okay, cause I'm not (very) mad. I talked to the two people that I made excpetions for, for reasons that are entirely my own. The rest of you were canon fodder. Don't take it personally, that's what i was looking for in the first place.

SO, that out of the way, I have to say that I'm not fully satisfied with this chapter. As I've mentioned before, I. Hate. Filler. I hate writing it, I hate reading it, I hate dealing with it. So, I'm not going to rework this chapter, it's going to go exactly as it stands.

Last thing before I let you read, I'm not projecting a long wait for the next chapter. BD pt2 comes out next week, so i'm going to be in twilight gear for some time. Hopefully we get some good chapters later out of it. Also, I quit smoking. I've made it seven weeks (go me, cause i'm totally tooting my own horn with this one) but i'm going to tell you that this is probably the first thing I've written since then, so, because of my lack of nicotine, i'm a bit wired, so things are moving kinda fast. I'm working on it. If you have any questions, message me, i'll answer them if, AND ONLY IF, I can.

For now, enjoy the chapter.

D/c: I do not now, nor have I ever, owned the Twilight Series. However, all original characters and plot elements are solely mine, because prefer to make Stephenie Meyer's characters dance to my tune, cause her's sucked.

Chapter 20

* * *

Unknown Human POV

It had started like any other day. Wake up, have breakfast, kiss the wife and kids goodbye, go to work. I never expected to walk into a case that was painting the Mexican border in blood.

They were mostly young females, which wouldn't have been unusual if it was a group of serial rapists, or something, but there were young men peppered through the case file as well. The Mexican authorities couldn't deal with it because they had their hands full with a sudden string of almost 120 disappearances, all from roughly ten centralized areas.

It was startling. There hadn't been cases like this in recent memory. Not since the late 1700s, at least.

I couldn't help staring at the list of names I'd been given and the faces to go with them. There was no pattern here, other than that a large number of them were female. There were a few that stood out, being teen females between four and five foot tall. There was a girl that had been slaughtered in Nuevo Leon named Emily Perez. She'd apparently been on vacation with her friends and been at a party. She'd been separated from the group by what the friends had described as a very pale, blond gentleman with a southern accent and reddish brown eyes that stood about six foot tall and was described as "built like Brad Pitt". It was a good description, despite the name drop, but the man had disappeared with their friend, and they had no idea who he was. Not even a name.

She'd been found in shreds, literally, in the desert with no signs of struggle, though the autopsy said that she had been alive at the time, and there were no drugs or chemicals in her system, other than the alcohol she'd been drinking with her friends. There wasn't even any tissue under her nails from where she'd clawed at her attacker, despite her broken nails and chipped blue nail polish.

It wasn't possible.

I looked over the next victim with a frown; this one was also lured away from her companions. Candy Reed was found in Nuevo Laredo. Her body had been a little cleaner, though it wasn't by much. There were still deep gouges in her shoulders, and her neck had been torn to shreds as well. Like Emily, she'd been alive, but there were no DNA traces of her killer.

Her captor was described as also male, with blond hair, but he had been described as having warm, honey colored eyes and a wicked smile, with a lean build that was just over six foot tall.

It made me wonder if I was dealing with a family, but it didn't describe the women that had been used as lures as well. There were descriptions of a petite brunette, a fey blond, a caramel haired woman that male witnesses said "screamed sex".

I sighed as a flipped open another victim file. This was the problem with interviewing drunken teens and barely 21's. They only cared about sex.

What concerned me about some of these cases was that they were still children, much like young Kaitlyn Rodgers. I couldn't help be impressed with the extensive defensive wounds that this girl had sustained. There was no record of her being reported before her body had turned up outside Tucson, Arizona. She had clearly put up a fight against her attacker; so much so that the damage to her neck was much more than the other victims.

A thought struck me. I flipped quickly through the other files. Sophie McDonald, blond, green eyes, neck trauma. Laura Snyder, Blond, Brown eyes, Neck Trauma. Pam Mendoza, Blond, blue eyes, neck trauma. Severed limbs and lacerations aside, all of these victims had trauma to the neck. The patterns and locations were different, the sites where these girls were all found were different … but it was all the same.

I shot out of my seat as the door to my office opened and an extraordinarily beautiful woman walked through the door, all bright blond hair and vibrant red curves. I swallowed hard. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I think you can." The woman said, holding up another stack of files. "You see, I'm from the Italian consulate, and I believe that one of our gangs is currently causing a bit of ruckus in your country. I was hoping that you could help me track their current whereabouts. As far as we understand it, they've been extremely active in the last four hours, but we lost track of them in Tucson."

"I see." I gulped, frowning. "I'll certainly do what I can, Miss … uh …"

"Oh, please," The woman said. "Call me Heidi."

I could only swallow hard as she approached me.

* * *

JPOV

I watched over the roughly 83 newborns currently locked inside one of Isabella's shields wearily. They were agitated about being confined, but with this many, we couldn't let them roam freely. Bella and I both had been putting our gifts to extensive use these last several hours. We weren't far from Death Valley, and we knew that the Volturi wouldn't be far behind us. We needed to move quickly, but we needed the trail to be precise. At every major city we'd stopped at, I'd send off a handful of newborns with a couple of the Warlords, or my own people, and let them feed.

Falling into my old hunting patterns had been easy enough, it wasn't difficult to lure out high profile victims and make sure that they were found by proper authorities later. We knew that the Volturi were already in the states and looking for us, so now it was simply a matter of leading them exactly where we wanted them to go. We still had several hours of running ahead of us.

I sent out Maria, Peter, and a couple of the other War Lords with a handful of newborns to lay the next leg of the trail, because the group was getting restless. They were hopped up on their own blood and ready to tear each other apart, and we absolutely had to keep them calm. We would need every one of them for the confrontation to come.

I looked over at Isabella, who was starting to look a bit exhausted, herself. I knew the feeling. She'd been working herself non-stop since Peter and I had arrived at Maria's camp. It was bound to be taking its toll on her. She needed to feed soon, because those cats Maria had brought her to help her fuse her arm back on weren't going to be enough for the rest of this journey.

I jumped off of my rock and made my way over to where she was sitting with Charlotte. The two had developed a strange bond since Volterra. Whenever Charlotte was separated from Peter, these days, she instantly gravitated towards Isabella. It appeared almost like a mating pull except that the emotions behind it were completely platonic.

"Bella," I called softly, watching as the newborns stirred, instantly honing in on me. She looked up at me with dark eyes and smiled softly. "You need to hunt."

Bella shook her head. "After we get to Death Valley. I can't leave a shield like this, Jasper, not like the one I placed in your mind."

"And you cannot sustain it if you're weak, Hermosa Nina." one of the Warlords told her. "Go, hunt. We've controlled the rabbles before, and we have the Major here as well. We will be just fine."

"If one of them get louse..." Bella murmured. I frowned. She knew exactly what we were doing, didn't she?

I looked at Charlotte, who was studiously looking away from me. I glared at her. "Charlotte, you didn't tell her?"

"You know how much it would bother her to know the truth." Charlotte whimpered. "I didn't want to ..."

"What are you talking about?" Bella asked, standing up.

"Bella, what do you think the trail is made of, candy?" I asked her. "We're feeding a rabble of newborns; we're trying to draw the Volturi with us with a trail of bodies. I promise you that it's not Bambi and Thumper were killing out there. That's why we're staying here and it's the human killers that are hunting with them for the most part. Because it's a string of human bodies. Even the local authorities have caught on to what we're doing."

Bella glared at me. "Jasper ..."

I shook my head. "No. Not now. Not on the cusp of everything we've worked for. You are NOT about to start having second thoughts just because a bunch of stupid humans are fucking dead."

"JASPER!" Bella snarled. "In case you've forgotten, my daughter, her mate, and their pack are all part human. I would hope that you, of all people, would remember that."

"Of course I do." I responded. "But the larger part of them is something supernatural, Bella. That's the part you keep failing to remember." I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. I keep forgetting how young she is, how close to her humanity she is. She still retained all of the things that made her human to begin with, despite the fact her heart no longer beats. I needed to fix this, and I needed to do so now, before she lost it. I turned to the War Lords and sent as much calm into the newborns as I could. "Keep your groups under control as much as possible. If we lose anyone, don't hunt them down. The Volturi will be watching to pick off stragglers already, so they won't get far. I need to take Bella out hunting. Now."

They nodded and began moving inside their groups to maintain order. I turned to Charlotte. "Help them."

She nodded. "Yes, Major."

I took Isabella's arm and led her away from the group, into the nearby copse of woods. It was time to get my little mate fed and taken care of, because it was going to be some time before I was able to perform my duties as her mate.

* * *

Renesmee POV

We entered the camp at Death Valley and looked around in awe. There were already so many of our allies here. Everyone from the North, and Europe had arrived, several from Asia and the Middle East as well. It amazed me that for as feral as some of these vampires were, just how civilized they were as well. They hardly blinked twice at me, some of them recognizing me from the last time we had all met like this, others more concerned with the needs of their own coven. There were, apparently, very few who lived in such a civilized fashion as the Whitlocks, Cullens, and Denali clans.

Jake and the other wolves refused to be in their human forms at this point. Despite their allegiance to a Vampire Coven, and the fact that they were supernatural beings themselves, they wanted to be able to defend themselves if the need arose. I knew that part of this was because Mama and Jasper weren't here. Once they were, my Pack would have no problems shifting into their human forms, knowing that no one would fuck with the Major, but until then, they stayed, silent sentry at my sides, and the sides of the other Damphir.

As I observed my pack, and my friends, I noticed something odd, though. Leah was sticking particularly close to Nahuel. He looked as if he had a particular affection for her as well. I looked at Jake with a smile and sat down next to him, leaning into his much larger, much warmer form. "Do you think she imprinted on him?" I asked, my voice low.

My Jake simply nodded his big furry head and leaned a little more into me as well, the wolf's equivalent of a hug. I was happy for her. This was something Peter hadn't anticipated, I was sure. The Damphir were virtually invisible to gifts that regarded the future. It did make me wonder, however, just who it was Peter had seen for her in her future, and what it would mean for her and Nahuel.

I looked up at the darkening sky and frowned. I hoped that Mama made it back soon. The longer she was gone, the more I worried for her. I just couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen before the final battle that would hurt my mother for a long time to come. Something that none of us would be able to anticipate.

* * *

Human POV

I stared at the scene before me in shock and horror. I couldn't believe that this had actually happened, here. In my town.

Bodies lay strewn haphazardly all over the area. I didn't know what to attribute this too.

"What could have done this?" I murmured to myself, looking over at Heidi, who was looking over the body of the only Jane Doe in the lot. She looked as if she had been a beautiful girl. Her hair was red, with dyed black tips and her now vacant eyes had once been a clear blue. It was also clear, however, that our little Jane Doe had been a case of wrong place, wrong time, gone horribly awry, because she didn't fit the picture of the other bodies around her. She had several tattoos and piercings, whereas the other girls were all very neat and clean cut. Unfortunately, she had also suffered the worst of the damage. Several of her limbs were missing, as well as having had her skin shredded at several points, marring one of the tattoos completely, and leaving gaping holes through her torso, where it looked as if something, or someone, had punched clear through her.

None of this made sense to me. The other girls were covered in similar injuries, all clearly fatal, but nothing like this. It was as if whatever had done this was fighting over her.

I walked over to where Heidi was standing; a note clutched her hand and a look of black rage on her lovely features.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with from this point on." She told me, her face transforming into a sad smile. "My office and I will be taking the investigation from here. Please, don't worry yourself. The ones responsible for this will be taken care of, I promise you."

I frowned, not liking this one bit. "I would rather continue." I told her.

She shook her head. "No. You wouldn't." She nodded to someone in the shadows and quicker than lightning, the world was black.

* * *

Edward POV

I looked around at the carnage before I faced Heidi. "The note." I told her, holding out my hand. She obediently handed it over.

_Come out; Come Out, Wherever you are. See you all in Death Valley._

I growled low in my throat. Peter. Fucking. Whitlock. Only he would have the unmitigated gall to leave something like this.

I looked over at Jane and Alec, who were collecting identification from the bodies so that the proper authorities could be notified and their bodies moved, as well as for our own records.

"Tina Sherrider," Jane told Alec. "Blond hair, blue eyes, approximately 5'2''. Heavy lacerations from newborn nails, missing a leg, trauma to the neck. Stephanie Richards, light brown hair, green eyes, roughly 5'3''," She winced looking over that particular body. "All four limbs and the head are completely severed. Whichever newborn did this is certainly a ripper, and clearly without remorse for the act. It appears that more blood made it onto the ground than anything else. We're going to have to be very thorough about the newborns to make sure that this particular one doesn't survive. I don't want to be hunting it down later."

"At the rate their amassing allies, we're not going to have a vampire population left for our presence to matter." Alice whimpered in distress. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her dramatics. She knew far better than that. It was something that Aro would never allow, especially with the likes of Benjamin and Bella in existence. Even Jasper and Bella would be given a respite from death because of their gifts. All we had to do was get Jasper back into range of Chelsea so that she could solidify his bond to the Kings.

"Grace Hammond." Jane continued, ignoring my sister's outburst. "Blond hair, green eyes, five-one, looks like she put up a fight. She's mostly covered in lacerations, which mean it's a newborn that's been taught, but she struggled. There's bruising on her hands."

Alec sighed and made notes on his notebook. "We're going to be here all night." He said. "I can make the assessments, Sister, please, the names and information."

Jane glared at him but nodded. "Fine. Kathleen Frank, Blond, brown eyes, 4'10''. Brittany Martinez, brown hair, brown eyes, five even. Deb Dubrinskey, Red hair, green eyes, five-three. Last but not least, we have Holly Black, auburn hair, green eyes, and five-two. All four have heavy lacerations, missing a limb or two, and Kathleen, it seems, made her newborn a little angry. The back of her head is caved in."

I took one last look at the carnage around us as Heidi placed a call to the coroner's office to come and collect them before sending her little FBI pet's bosses a message so that they could notify the human's families. It was a shame, such a blatant disregard for human life. We, at least, didn't make them suffer. Not like this.

Jane fell in at my side as we made our way back to the hotel for the day. We would need to move tonight, and have Aro mobilize the guard. We couldn't take any chances. This Newborn Army was meant for us, and it was time to put an end to it, once and for all.

* * *

A/n: and that, my beloved readers, is where i leave you for this evening. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. When we come back, it'll be all about Jasper and Bella, and the fighting.

much love

leggy freak003


	22. Chapter 20

A/n: Wow, I didn't expect it to take me this long to update this thing again. Then again, I haven't seen BD Pt2 yet because I was broke when it came out. Go figure. Patiently waiting for the DVD. However, I've had a recent surge of inspiration, so now you get chapter 21. So sorry about the wait.

D/c: It's not mine. I wish it were. I would have wrote it differently and it wouldn't be the laughing stock that it is, but it's not mine, and we all know how the song and dance went with this thing...

Chapter 21

* * *

BPOV

I didn't understand how he could do this to me, knowing how i felt about human life. I could have understood if it was one of the War Lords who had suggested it, demanded it, but this had been all Jasper's idea, and i didn't know how to react to this.

My kids, they were all part human. My father, his mate, my family back in Forks and Phoenix were all human ... and he expected me to be okay with this?

Well i wasn't, and he was about to get an ear full.

Just as soon as he stopped dragging me by the arm through the woods.

"Let me go, Jasper Whitlock." I snarled at him, ripping my hand out of his grasp.

Before I could so much as blink, he had me pinned against the nearest tree, my hands in his vice grip above my head.

"Do not test me right now, Isabella." Jasper snarled in my face, his grip tightening slightly. It wasn't painful, at least, not particularly so. It wasn't even really uncomfortable. However, I wasn't particularly happy about being restrained, so I struggled.

"I said let me go." I snapped back, thrusting my body against his in an attempt to throw him off me.

"You don't get it, do you?" Jasper asked. "We're this close," he held up two fingers about an inch apart in front of my face, "to accomplishing everything we've been working for since the day we left Michigan, and NOW you want to grow a conscience? You're about to sentence people to their deaths, and NOW you decided to have second thoughts. Explain this to me, Isabella, because I'm not fucking getting it."

I was dealing with the Major now. Rather, elements of him. Jasper couldn't afford to be the sweet, sensitive guy. Not now.

"You're killing people that have nothing to do with our war." I told him. "Nothing at all. They're innocent bystanders, Jasper."

"So is every fucking vampire you've called in to help." Jasper snapped. "And yet they're here, risking their own lives, their own covens on the off chance that we might be able to overwhelm the Volturi just one more time and take them out. Now is not the time for you to be going soft on me, Athena. I need you by my side. I need you ready. These humans, these corpses, are collateral damage. Every war has it. We have to gain as much attention as possible without alerting the humans that we exist, and the only thing that attracts the human's attention more than a bunch of sparkling motherfuckers running through town at midday, is a trail of bodies that put the fucking serial killers to shame."

"I know that." I said softly. "In my head, I know that, but Jasper, I can't sit here and condone the loss of human life. Not with who i am. Not with who my family is."

Jasper growled low in his throat before he tore away from me. His whole body was tense, shaking with the force of his will not to break ... something. "I can't do this without you, Bella." He said weakly. "This is the only way ... and I need you by my side."

I crumbled. "I'll always be by your side." I told him, lowering my arms as I realize I had left them above my head. "Jasper, you're my mate." I moved to his side and wrapped my hands around his left. "But that doesn't mean that I'm going to agree with every decision that you ever make."

He looked up at me, his eyes pitch black. He reached up with his right hand and cupped my cheek. "It was always so easy before, when I thought she was my mate. We simply emulated the couples we saw. Emmett and Rose, Carlisle and Esme. They never had any problems."

I shook my head. "They never had any problems that they let you see. I did the same thing with him. I just ... went along, because I believed that he knew what was right. I didn't know. I didn't realize. Neither of us did. We're different people than we were then, Jasper. Our own people. We're going to fight. I understand why we're doing what we need to do, but I can't condone it. I don't agree with it, and when we get to Death Valley, it ends. I won't let you expose the kids to it. At all. It's bad enough that our Pups are surrounded by human killers, which goes against everything they were created for. I won't let them know what we did to bring the enemy to the doorstep. They'll never forgive you."

Jasper nodded. "Alright." He rested his forehead against mine. "Are we good?"

"Far from it." I told him. "But we both need to hunt. We'll deal with our issues when all of this is over."

He sighed and pulled my hands to his lips, kissing each finger in turn. "Lets get you fed." He murmured.

Together we made our way farther into the woods, in search of any kind of wildlife.

* * *

JPOV

I waited patiently for Isabella to finish her hunt, having completed my own some time ago. I knew what she was doing, she was avoiding coming back to me. I could feel every once of her rage, worry, and guilt over the lives lost in our trek towards Death Valley. She was going to have to learn to live with it. It was necessary. There had been many more lives lost in the course of this campaign and we wouldn't be converting anyone to the vegetarian lifestyle. We weren't out to cure the world's ills. We were here to destroy those who had wronged us and those who had betrayed us. That was all.

When she finally came back into view she was covered in the blood of her kill and casually picking fur out of her teeth.

"I take it you had a good hunt?" I asked her.

"I did." She said, but didn't elaborate. "I'll need to find a stream, though. I don't think the War Lords would appreciate me sending their newborns into a frenzy of lust and hunger."

I growled at the thought and pulled her against me. "Don't even think about it." I leaned over and licked a trail through the blood that coated her throat. "There's a stream not to far from here." I murmured to her.

She smirked and nodded, turning in the direction of the water.

"Is this how its going to be?" I asked her, following. "You're going to give me the cold shoulder until all of this is over?"

"Not at all." She said, shooting me an indiscernible look over her shoulder. Her emotions had muted as well, not like she was shielding herself from me, but as if she had detached herself from them.

"You're lying to me."

She spun and snatched me up by the sides of shirt and pulled me up against her. "You want me to be able to go on with what we're doing, then you'll quit pushing me to feel, Jasper. Until I see my daughter again, and we stop slaughtering the innocent, I simply won't feel anything. Not even my love for you."

I wrapped my hands around her's, pulling them out of my shirt gently. What was I doing to this creature? How was I fucking this up so monumentally, that I had forced her to shut down her emotions completely? "Don't." I whispered to her. "Don't ever cut yourself off. You don't know what kind of road that leads too for us. Let it back in, Bella. Please."

She stared at me, her amber orbs simply vacant. "Jasper, you don't get it."

"I do, though." I told her. "I understand everything. I've been where you are, Bella. I feel _everything_ the humans do, everything the newborns do. I _know_." I told her. "But I can't let myself be swayed by what's going on around us. We have to stay our course. We have to see this through, or we've signed off on the deaths of everyone that's decided to help us. Everyone, Bella. And that includes Nessie, and the wolves. The Denali Clan. Emmett and Rose. Peter and Char. All of us are dead if we stop now, and it'll be our fault. They're looking to us, you and me, My Athena, for the fortitude to see this one through. Without us, they stand no chance."

I saw the light in her eyes flicker back to life as she pulled herself closer to me, dry sobbing as she buried her head in my neck. "Jasper..."

I wrapped my arms around her and, heedless of the blood covering her, held her close as her emotions swamped me. Everything she'd been holding back for longer than I'd realized came flooding through us both.

"We'll be okay." I murmured into her hair. "We'll make it through this."

Bella nodded and clutched my shirt tighter, holding me to her.

Moments passed before a familiar scent reached us, and Peter stepped out of the trees.

"We're ready to go when you are, Major." He said, his eyes on the ground, and his head bent forward slightly, in a decidedly submissive posture. "There won't be a need to take anymore humans. They know where we'll be."

I looked at him as Isabella stepped away from me, and I felt the Major flood into me. "Explain yourself, Captain."

"I left them a note. A taunt, really. A quote from a movie. I told them that we would be in Death Valley." Peter said. "I didn't mean to step on any toes. I know that we're close to our destination, and any more human deaths would Upset Athena and your children."

I nodded. "Very well. Return to the rabble. Get them ready to move. We'll be there soon."

Peter nodded and backed into the trees before turning tail and running. I turned to the female in my arms and saw that she was watching me with hard eyes. Not the dead ones I had seen before, but guarded ones, ready for what was coming.

"Are you ready for this, My Athena?" I asked her, holding out my hand to her.

"I was born ready, My Aries." she replied, taking it.

Heedless of the blood that coated us both, knowing it would work the newborns into a frenzy, we set out for the group we were leading. It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

Nessie POV

We heard a thunder in the distance and several people began to panic, assuredly thinking that it was the Volturi coming for us prematurely. They were wrong, however, as we saw a line of olive skinned vampires, clearly newborns, come over the south eastern wall of the valley we had inhabited. They flooded the Valley floor, forming what the military would call regiments. They lined up in groups of twenty or so and became perfectly still.

The fur on Jake's back began to rise as he began herding me away from the group. I saw the other wolves doing the same. Even Quil, who had arrived just a few hours ago and was completely unfamiliar with what was going on, began herding the Damphir away from the newborns. I was fairly certain that it was because Jake was filling him in over the mental link.

Nahuel looked over at me. "What is this?"

"Jasper." I told him. "Jasper did this. He brought in the Ward Lords."

"Is he mad?" Nahuel asked.

"No." I told him. "He's brilliant." I swung up onto Jake's back and looked over at the South Eastern wall. Atop it stood, in all their glory, my mother and her mate. Aries and Athena overlooked their forces with stoic expressions as the War Lords moved to stand with their newborns. Peter and Charlotte stayed with Mama and Jasper, never leaving their heels.

They approached us and Jake stood taller in the face of his Alpha. Even I sat a little straighter.

"Renesmee," Jasper called. "Is everyone here?"

"Everyone except those who refused, Major." She told me. "Emmett and Rosalie arrived just an hour ago, as did Quil."

Jasper turned to Mama and nodded to her before turning to face the rest of the vampires that had arrived. I watched as blue fields lifted over each collection of newborns, giving them just enough room to move amongst themselves. I was certain that Jasper had flooded each dome with calm to keep them complacent. From what I had heard of the Southern Wars, and experienced with my own mother's newborn year, it wouldn't do to have them killing each other.

Jasper addressed the rest of us in a quiet calm that set us all on edge. "Thank you for coming. I know that this isn't going to be an easy fight for any of us, and that you're here shows that you believe in this as much as the rest of us. As you'll see, I've brought in the War Lords. The Newborn force that they bring with them is merely a distraction. The Volturi won't be expecting it, and we'll use the confusion to our advantage."

"So what's the plan here, Jasper?" came a voice from the back of the pack. It was a small Redhead I recognized from the last time we faced the Volturi. Maggie. The walking Lie-detector. "You haven't been telling us everything."

"You're right, we haven't." Mama said, stepping up to Jasper's side. "A lot of our reasons behind this is a personal vendetta. We have no intention of hiding that from you, but the Italians have grown too greedy, too power hungry. They began forcing large covens apart. The Cullens and the Denali were forced into a facility until we agreed to split our covens. How long until they came for smaller ones? Vampires with Gifts they desired? They already have Edward and Alice Cullen. A telepathic mind reader and a Seer. You know as well as I do that they would use this against us, to force us to comply."

Jasper placed a hand on her shoulder. "If you don't want to be here, to see this fight to the end, to watch these bastards die, then leave now, because they'll be here within the hour."

"That soon?" an unknown vampire in the front asked.

"We left a trail for them to follow, and with the decisions we've been planting for the Seer to see, yes, it'll be that soon." Jasper told him. "Aro will have already mobilized the Guard. I know that his elite are already on American soil."

Curses and exclamations rose as people began to scramble. Not to leave, I noticed, but to prepare themselves for what was to come.

Jasper smirked to himself as he and Mama turned back to me and the wolves. "We'll talk more when things are over, for now, I want you and the other Damphir to find shelter. Jake, I want Seth to guard them when the time comes for you to join the battle. Leah too, if you can convince her. We're not going to need speed, we're going to need power."

Jake nodded his huge furry head and turned towards the rest of the pack. I was simply along for the ride.

It was going to be a hell of a battle. I only hoped that we made it out alive.

* * *

A/n: Yes, I know, it's short. It's another transition. Don't worry. We all know what's coming next. Hope you liked it.

leggy freak003

(almost ten years and I've never changed my name ...)


	23. Chapter 21

A/n: I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY! I keep making myself into a liar and i really don't mean too. I'm horrible with consistency. I really am. I'm so friggin sorry that this took so long. There's no excuse, None. Damn it! I'm Sorry.

D/c: It's not mine. I just like messing it up.

Chapter 22

* * *

BPOV

I didn't know what to expect when we arrived in Death Valley, but it wasn't this. I was pleasantly surprised to find that everyone had come, even some we hadn't thought would. Everyone was willing to stand with us.

Garret and Kate walked over to me as I surveyed the crowd. "You've been working with your shield." Kate said with a smile. "It has a physical form now."

"Only the physical shield does." I told her, smirking slightly. "The mental shields are still invisible, working within the mind now, rather than outside it."

"That's quite an expansion." Garret commented.

"It is." I agreed. "But as Zafrina pointed out, it expands on its own, in times of emotional duress. The first meeting with the Volturi, when Edward left me the second time, and when those bastards severed my mating bond with Jasper..."

"They did what?" Kate asked, glancing at Garret. "How?"

"They tried using it to tether us to the Volturi." I explained. "It only half worked because of my mental shields. They got Jasper, but not me, and without me, the full bonding couldn't take effect."

"You really are an amazing little vampire." came Maria's voice from behind me. I turned as Kate hissed under her breath. "It should make this all the more interesting when the fighting starts."

"Don't you have a rabble to attend to?" Garret asked, keeping Kate behind his shoulder.

Maria smirked and chuckled at him. "Always the cold shoulder from you so-called civilized vampires. Just remember, Champ, I was training newborns before you could even hold a gun to shoot a Tori."

Garret growled and I stepped between them, giving Garret and Kate a pointed look. I turned to Maria next. "What do you need?"

"The newborns are getting riled." Maria told me. "Closed spaces and what not. The last thing we need are them killing each other. We need you to widen the domes so we can run some drills and get them occupied."

I nodded and flexed my mental muscles, expanding the domes that the newborns were in and allowing the leaders passage to their own groups only. Maria nodded to me and moved off to her group, which was closest.

"How soon until Aro and his lot get here?" Garret asked me.

"Not long at all." I replied. "We left them half way past Phoenix."

"Then we need to get busy." Garret told Kate. "Bella." he said, excusing them to go back to their coven.

I nodded as they moved away.

Peter and Charlotte approached me next, both appearing battle ready, even as we watched Jasper muster the troops, as it were.

"This is going to be a fight for the ages." Peter told me.

"Do you know how soon?" I asked him.

"Thirty minutes til they crest the ridge." Peter replied. "Forty til the fighting starts."

"Good." I said. "Go tell Jasper. I need to go meet with my kids."

Peter nodded slightly and took Charlotte's hand as he made his way towards his creator. They had reaffirmed their bond, it seemed, which was good. I was glad to see that they had it back. Charlotte had been useless while separated from her mate, and I couldn't afford to lose my sister on the battle field.

I spun and dashed over to where Jake, Leah, and the boys were standing with Nessie, Nahuel, and his sisters. I smiled, greeting them all in turn, checking Quil over the most, as I hadn't seen him since Forks, and a lot had happened.

"Sam treated you right?" I asked him. "You didn't have any problems from his pack?"

"Everything was fine, Mom." He said, slightly irritated. "Sam was actually disappointed when my bond didn't return to his pack. He thought it would, if I worked with them long enough."

"That is because you are one bad ass wolf." Jake said, dropping an elbow on his best friend's shoulder. The two had become so much closer after Nessie and Jake had imprinted, because Quil was the only one that really understood. Even with Nessie being almost old enough, and Clair remaining a child, the two had a better understanding of each other.

I nodded. "Alright, boys, Leah, here's the deal. Jasper has decided that the Damphir aren't fighting." I waited for the outraged cries from Nahuel and his sisters to abate. "He has his reasons. Nahuel, you're the only one with venom, which would be fine for you, but the girls are neither strong enough to rip them apart without a bite, nor do they carry venom to weaken the skin. Therefore, you're all staying out of the fight." Nahuel nodded in understanding, but the taller of his sisters looked as if she wanted to say something. I turned back to Jake. "I want you guys to stay out of the fighting ..." More outraged yells, but this time I didn't wait, I simply raised my voice, "Until I've taken off Chelsea's head!" They shut their mouths. "Thank you. Until I have her head, there's a chance that you could be drawn into her web of false bonds too, and I won't have that. So once I throw her head up, you can join the fight. Nahuel, I want you and the girls to be on the ridge behind the fighting. If a stray gets past us, you have to be able to take them out to protect the girls."

He nodded firmly, his face set. He was ready, and so were my boys. I checked my phone. We had maybe ten minutes left to get ready. "Good. Now, wolves in wolf form and all of you start heading for the ridge. It's almost time."

I turned around and dashed to Jasper's side. He wrapped his arms around me and held me against him, taking in my scent, reassuring himself that I was there. "You have to get to Chelsea first." he told me. "Peter and I catch even a whiff of her scent..."

"I know." I told him. "At the moment, she's priority number one. Then its Renata, Then the brothers."

Jasper nodded and took my hand in his, kissing it. "See you on the other side, Mi Compeñera."

I nodded, and rested my forehead against his. Other mates across the collective were doing the same. Reassuring, comforting, making plans. I could hear Valdimir and Stefan in the distance.

"This is it, Brother." Vladimir said.

"That it is." Stefan agreed. "Today, the Italian scum fall."

Jasper stepped away from me and turned to everyone. "Ben, I want you to keep the fires out until Aro and Caius are dead. We'll be burning Chelsea directly, but we don't want any unnecessary casualties."

Benjamin nodded. "No problem, Jasper."

Jasper and I turned to look at Garret when he spoke. "And when all this is over, what then. Who's going to keep the peace? I understand the removal of a tyrant, Jasper, but we can't let the rouges run free and expose us."

"We were thinking something similar to what the States have in place." Jasper said, smirking and knowing that he finally had all of them on our side. "A representative from each area. We can hash out details later, though, don't you think?"

Garret was smiling wickedly.

We all turned to face the eastern ridge, ready, waiting.

We tensed as the first of their number crested the ridge, little more than a line of black. One by one, line after line, they entered the battle field. In the center stood those who's life I would claim as my own. To protect mine. To protect others. To stop the tyranny. I would kill.

I could feel something rise inside me. Something strong, something confident. Something I had never felt before. I turned to face Jasper and saw that his eyes were focused and cold. I was no longer looking at Jasper Whitlock, mate and friend. I was looking at The Major. The God of War. Ares.

Athena rose to meet him. Death. All I wanted was their death in a flash of flame and ash. And my Major would give it to me.

I turned to face our enemy with a serene smile on my lips. The world's vampires had gathered here to watch the fall of our leaders, and that would be what they got.

Aro spoke first. "And so it seems that we stand on opposite ends of the battle field once again, Isabella. What a shame. You do know that a gathering a vampires of this size is illegal."

"No, we weren't." I said calmly, my voice changing from the chime of bells to a husky, almost sensual tone. "After all, you guard is still intact. I had assume that your limits on the size of a gathering had been lifted." I smirked. "But then, you've always been one to break your own rules, haven't you, Aro?"

He growled at me and there was an uneasy rumbling through both sides of the field. "I'm sorry that you see it as such, Isabella. However, we of the Volturi are not without mercy. Disperse now, take your mates and go, and we shall ignore this transgression."

Flames sprang up between the two factions and Jasper spoke. "Then Chelsea must throw herself onto the fire."

"I beg your pardon?" Aro asked.

"I refuse to allow myself, or my mate, to be used by you and yours." He said. "And everyone knows that the second someone comes under Chelsea's control they're under it permanently. She dies, and we'll walk away."

"You're mad." Caius snarled. "You are asking a woman to commit suicide so that you can live free."

"Not at all." I said. "We'd be happy to kill her. As well as yourself. You're little more than a war mongering snake, Caius, out only for power. And we won't stand for it any longer."

"You've made it so that families can no longer spend any amount of time together without running the risk of your wrath," Benjamin snapped. "All in the name of what you call secrecy, when the Cullens have lived for decades among the humans without them suspecting more than eccentricities. What you call Secrecy is in reality oppression."

"You seek only to acquire more power," Garret said. "And we will no longer live in fear of you and yours."

"We will have our freedom," a female nomad I knew in passing as Skye called out to them. More cries rose to join hers, and I could see Aro visibly vibrating with rage. Caius was all but chomping at the bit to attack us. It was only now that I noticed the absence of Marcus, Jane, Alec, Edward, and Alice. I scanned their number, searching. This would not be for nothing. I would have his head on a pike.

"Put them down." Aro growled, glaring at me directly.

"ATTACK!" Caius snarled viciously, allowing their number to surge forward.

Jasper only smirked. "Maria..."

"Take them out." Maria roared. Her newborns surged, their number, joined with the other War Lords', reminded me of a hoard of locusts. Destroying everything in their path. They tore through the front line like something out of a movie battle. I could feel Jasper radiating an emotional cocktail that could only be described as Focus. It was enough to keep the Newborns from going crazy and able to think.

I smirked in satisfaction at the look of horror on Aro's face as he saw his number decimated in minutes. Newborns were, as the Major had warned me, and point and shoot weapon. Willing and able to tear through whatever they viewed as a threat. They'd finish with one opponent and flung the pieces everywhere, before moving on to their next, no heed to the destruction they left behind.

"This is where we older vampires would go through and clean up after them." Jasper murmured into my ear. "Burn the bodies, and make sure any human collateral was dealt with."

I nodded, viciously pleased with this turn of events.

"Aro's hiding something." Jasper murmured. "He simply can't bring himself to speak. Caius is getting impatient. Jane and Alec aren't here, or we'd already be done with this phase of the battle. I wonder where they are. Keep your shield up, my mate."

"No mistakes this time." I told him. "We end them."

When Felix and many of the older, more prominent and well known guard members entered the fray, many of them with gifts of their own, we knew that the newborns were done for. We were counting on it. The newborns would do their damage before they were completely destroyed, and that would be the opening that we needed.

The newborns fell, and the field quieted. The fires the Volturi had started to dispose of the newborns damped and I almost felt as if we should have some vicious thunder storm raging overhead. Felix had his eyes trained on me. They would gun for me above anyone else. Jasper and I were the biggest threats on this field due to my shield and his empathy.

"This is it." Jasper murmured to me.

"We're ready." I told him.

"This ends here." Jasper called.

"You're absolutely right, Mr. Whitlock." Caius snarled. "This ends now. Destroy them all."

Jasper chose that moment to start snapping out orders, every inch the Major. "Bella, take out Chelsea and Renata. You're the only one that can. Garret, Kate, keep her flank. I want nothing to get near her. Peter, lets move, we're making a path. Everyone else, Take them out. Ben, keep those fires out."

We got lost in the rhythm of the battle. Jasper and Peter tore a path through the center of the lines, leaving a trail of venom and body parts in their wake, only to break wide at Jasper's signal, neither of them breathing.

Chelsea.

She stood before me, all confidence. She thought she had me beat because she had my mating bond, but she was wrong. Her gift was mental and physical, and she couldn't take my mind.

"You're mine, Chelsea." I snarled, launching myself at her. I faked her out, and ducked away from her reaching hands at the last second. I was small, and fast, compared to her, and I wouldn't lose. I launched myself onto her back and jerked her hair aside, my teeth finding her neck with all efficiency. It was an anti-climactic second, and her head was in my hands, her body crumbling under me as Kate and Garret held off the onslaught.

With a victorious roar, I threw her head far into the air, and heard the battle ready snarls of my children as they entered the slaughter, joyous in their ferocity. This was why they were made, why they changed. And they worked as one. More of the heavily cloaked vampires fell under my kids' jaws, than at the hands of any vampire grappling for the win.

I spun, leaving the living corpse that was Chelsea in my wake, actively seeking out Renata. She was, as always, clinging to Aro's back, protecting him like a mother would her child.

I needed to get close to her.

I looked around the carnage as it began to falter and die in places, and I found Embry trailing behind the female vampire I recognized as Skye. She had only to touch the vampire before her, and they fell, crippled. Embry, I could tell, was amusing himself by picking her victims apart. It didn't take long for Jake and Quil to join him. Those three were pathetic, really.

I dashed over to her. "Skye, right?" I asked, ripping the head off of a cloaked vampire as I reached her.

"That's right." She said.

"I need your help." I told her. "You're incapacitating them?"

"Yeah, it's my ability. I basically give them Multiple Sclerosis for as long as I want them to have it." she said.

I motioned to the boys to quit playing and act as guard. "I need you to help me then. I need to get close to the brothers, but I can't get my hands on Aro until Renata, his sheild, is taken out. The problem is that We're going to have all of the others up there on us as soon as I try to get close, including Aro. How fast does it work?"

"Thirty seconds." She replied. "It's a lot for a vampire."

I nodded. "It'll have to work. I can get us close with my mental shield, but I can't take them all on by myself."

"Then lets go." Skye said, smiling at me.

We took off for the Brothers, the boys on our heels taking out anyone that tried to come in contact with us. We broke the line around them, Skye moving quicker than lightning, and taking out the outter ring of guard members as I dove straight for Renata. I landed on her back and pulled her away from Aro, watching as both he and Caius turned to watch, almost as if helpless, while their shield struggled in my arms.

"Your overconfidence is your undoing." I told them, throwing Renata to Jake, who allowed Embry and Quil to finish her off as Skye reached my side again.

"Isabella..." Aro said gently in one last ditch effort.

"We're done." I snarled to him. "You destroyed everything I held dear. You took my husband, you took my family, and you tried to take my mate. I WILL END YOU!" I was spitting venom now.

I launched myself at him as Skye crossed behind me to incapacitate Caius, who cried out in pain as she held him down, forcing him to watch as I took his brother's head off, and kicked his body into the dirt.

I crowed triumphantly, holding the gasping head aloft. All around me battles ended, and Skye and the boys both gave vicious, victorious snarls.

"You will die." Caius growled.

"No, Caius." Tanya said, walking up behind Skye with a one-armed Kate and Carmen behind her. "You will. For what you did to our sister."

Skye let him go and stepped over by me, grinning broadly as Kate picked up Caius, screaming, from the ground, obviously pumping as much voltage as possible into his weakened form. Kate looked over at Skye as she ramped up the voltage some more. "I don't know what you did to him, but thank you. This is going to be fun." She threw him to Tanya, who was letting out a steady growl.

"This is for my baby brother." She hissed, ripping his arm off. "And my mother." She removed his other arm. "And this is for my sister, you sadistic son of a bitch. I hope you rot in Hell."

She took hold of his upper and lower jaws and began prying his head open, taking the top of it clean off. The body collapsed, and she looked up at me. "Thank you."

"No need." I told her. "We need to start moving though. We need to start getting parts cleaned up before they start putting themselves back together." I looked around. "Where are Jasper and Peter? Char?" I looked around, swinging in a wild circle, Aro's head still hanging by his hair from my hand. "JASPER!"

I'd lost track of him in my single minded pursuit of the Brothers. What had become of my mate? My sister and brother? My kids?

Jake came up and nudged me with his massive head and I turned to look at him. He motioned to the east and I looked up to find Jasper standing on a ridge, a victorious smirk on his face, and Edward in his hands, whole and defeated.

I smiled at Skye and nodded my thanks before launching in his direction, Aro's head flying behind me.

"Major!" I said, sliding up to his side. "I have a present for you."

He growled in pleasure as I held the head aloft. "And Caius?"

"In pieces at Tanya's feet." I replied.

"Good." he said, pushing Edward forward. "Don't move, or I'll take your legs." he growled. He took Aro's head from me and dropped it on the ground at our feet, wrapping his arms around me, his hands wrapping around the very top of either leg, lifting me against his body and burying nose in my collarbone. He ran his teeth over his mark there, causing me to purr. "It's over."

"The easy part is over." I corrected. "Time for the difficult part."

He took a deep breath of my scent. "It's over." he repeated.

I couldn't help but laugh and wrapped my hands in his hair, pulling his face close. "Yes, my mate, it's over." I leaned over and kissed him.

It was over.

* * *

A/n: 'Cept it's not, cause there's still more crap to deal with. Fuckward and PixieBitch, the new rulers of the vampire world, a few other things that I haven't gotten to yet. We'll get there. There is still more to come, I promise. I just don't know when, because I'm a despicable human being with no consistency in anything I do. I promise i'll never abandon this story. I've had too much fun with it. But it'll definitely be wrapping up soon.

Soo, this wasn't the original draft. In fact, it's almost completely different. Huge Shoutout To Lady Skyelite, who let me use her awesome self as Bella's Sidekick. Keep strong, Girl! But i kinda like this version better, because the last one had me jumping POVs, and it got kinda ADD. This is better, more precise, i think. Let me know. You know i love to hear from you.

There is most certainly more to come, but i'll tell you now, so we can get it all out of the way, Edward and Alice aren't dying. In fact, I have something more decidedly diabolical planned for them. Death is too easy. You'll find out what it is soon enough.

That's all for now, I'm afraid. Damn this chapter anyway for all the trouble it gave me. Thanks everyone for all your support so far! See you all next time!

Leggy Freak003 (and we're seven months smoke free now. Go me!)


	24. Chapter 22

A/n: I think this one is coming sooner than the last one did ... I'm not sure anymore. All I know is that I have a new chapter for you and it's all from Jasper's POV. Probably not going to be what we all expected, but please, read, and tell me what you think. I'm actually quite pleased with this one.

D/c: I don't own a thing except the plot and a lot of side characters. Vikrant Singh belongs to the totally awesome Arian Eripmav, who loaned him to me for use with the newborns, but I found a better use for him.

* * *

JPOV

I watched as my mate launched herself into battle and tore through the throngs of vampires standing between her and her objectives. She was a thing of beauty. Death Incarnate. I only wished I could stay and watch her end them. I, however, had another mission before me. Aro was hiding something, and I intended to find out what it was.

I nodded to Peter and Charlotte and we took off around the battle, leaving the War Lords to handle the battle. Zafrina and Eleazar fell in behind us as well, and we tore a path to the outside of the gorge. What I found on the other side made my blood boil.

Edward and Alice stood with Marcus and the Witch Twins, Carlisle, Esme, and three humans between them and subdued. I snarled and launched myself down the hill ready to destroy the bastard.

"Wait! Jasper!" Alice yelped flying to her feet and waving her hands at me. I took her by the throat and threw her to Charlotte, who pinned her to the ground. Peter was on Edward before anyone could blink, and Zafrina and Eleazar took down the twins. I glared at Marcus, who held up his hands.

"We do not intend to fight you, Major Whitlock." He said calmly. He looked over at Carlisle and Esme. "They were Aro's insurance that he would not die. We should have already crossed the ridge with them to prevent your mate from attacking Aro. We, however, decided otherwise."

I took my eyes off of him, quickly taking in the humans. I recognized them now as Bella's parents. Charlie, Renee, and Phil were sitting there, terrified and trembling, but clearly without their senses due to Alec's interference.

I growled fiercely. "He intended to use her human family as a means to stop her? How? Using them as shields!"

"Essentially." Marcus told me. "They have no idea what is going on. They've been deaf and blind since we apprehended them. Alec has been very diligent."

I looked over my shoulder at the ridge as I heard a roar of triumph accompanied by a chorus of howls. Bella was victorious.

My lips turned into a triumphant sneer. "Peter, give him to me. Stay here and make sure no one causes any trouble and the humans come to no harm. Something tells me that Bella wouldn't take to kindly to that."

"Yes, sir." Peter said, kicking Edward down at my feet.

"Come with me, _Brother_," I sneered, taking him by the throat and dragging him with me.

"What are you doing?" Edward hissed as best he could from my hand clamped like a vice on his vocal chords.

"Oh, you're about to meet the creature of your own making." I told him. "Isabella is dying to meet you."

He barely breathed as we crested the hill. I watched as she spun in a wide circle, Aro's head swinging from her hand, surrounded wide by destruction and decimation, like a War Goddess dancing on the corpses of her enemies. Our allies stood around her, glorying in her victory. I watched as the massive russet head of Jacob's wolf form nudged her and waved in my direction, causing her to spin one last time and face me. She lit the field with the smile that graced her features. With all speed, she was at my side, holding aloft the head of our enemy.

A brief conversation found her in my arms. When I finally could bring myself to release her, I noticed that Edward was trying to crawl away, fear rolling from his pores. I growled low and turned away from my mate, reaching out and snatching him up by his hair.

"Just where do you think you're going?" I snapped, pulling him back.

I looked over at Isabella, finding her amber eyes glowing with all of her pent up rage and vindictive pleasure.

"Edward Cullen." She purred. A slow malicious grin spread across her soft features. "Just the man I wanted to see."

"Wait." he croaked. "Bella, please."

"Oh, Edward, just what is it you think I'm going to do to you?" she asked, her voice low enough that it shot straight to my loins. This woman, this creature … I had no words for her. She was everything glorious and beautiful and all of her attentions were directed at the mass of dead flesh pinned by my hand. This would be true poetry.

"Don't kill me." He whimpered. "I have to … You don't know everything."

She crouched down in front of him and smirked. "I'm not going to kill you, Edward." She ran her finger down the side of his face. "No, I've had a lot of time to think since you left me in that god-forsaken cabin. Death would be too easy. How would you watch your daughter grow up happy and prosperous without you? How would you watch the world pass by you, develop around you, and watch the rest of us be happy, in spite of what you did, if you were dead? No, my dear ex-husband, I have something even worse planned for you."

Edward gulped, unsure of what she meant. I threw him onto the ground and planted my foot in his chest, pinning him in his spot.

"So, Mi Compenero, where did you run off to?" she asked me. I couldn't help the pleasant hum that thrilled through my body as her tongue wrapped around those syllables.

"I told you, Aro was hiding something. I wanted to know what it was." I told her.

"And?"

"He had your parents." I told her. "Charlie, Renee, and Phil are all down there, as well as Carlisle and Esme."

She growled and spun, her foot launching Aro's head into the air, only for it to land perfectly on top of the fire where his body and his brother now burned. "Are they harmed?" She asked.

"No." I told her. "Merely scared, confused, and held under Alec's thrall, which isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"No, it's not." she agreed. "Renee wouldn't be able to deal with this. Charlie and Phil wouldn't react well, either, I expect." she looked around at the gorge below us and frowned. "We have a lot of injuries. We're going to need blood, and a lot of it." She looked at me. "Do you think Carlisle would be willing to give us a hand? Once we get everyone set and healing we can discuss our next move."

"I'm sure he will." I said. "Are you alright?"

She smiled beautifully. "I'm fine, Jasper. I'm simply suddenly very tired."

I smiled back at her. "Nothing a little blood won't fix." I looked over my shoulder down the hill. "Peter, come get this. I need to make rounds. And Alec needs to release Carlisle and Esme. We'll need Carlisle's help."

Peter was at our sides in an instant. "And what of the humans?"

"Leave them the way they are for now." Bella said, watching our wolves. "I want Edward, Alice, and the Twins on lock-down until we have time to deal with them as well. If I have to throw up a shield, I will."

"And Marcus?" Peter asked.

"Is he a threat?" I asked.

"Not that I would consider, no."

"Then he should be fine." Bella replied. "I didn't expect many problems out of Marucs. He always seemed rather bored with Aro and Caius."

Peter nodded and I moved so he could take Edward. The group that I had taken with me threw the four of them into a pile and Bella threw up a shield around them, locking them in place. Jane came flying off of the ground and slammed against the barrier. Bella merely smirked over her shoulder before turning to where Marcus and Eleazar stood with the trio of humans. She frowned and looked at me. "Can we knock them out? Make them think this was all a dream?"

"Depends on how long they've been had." I told her. "If it's only been a few hours, which I doubt, in Charlie's case, then yes, but they'll notice days passing. Or if they were caught awake, in the middle of the day doing something..." I trailed off and looked to Marcus.

"They will have to be told everything." Marcus said. "And turned or killed. Those are the laws."

"Bullshit." Bella snarled. "They don't have to know anything, you son of a bitch. We'll find a lie to tell them. Don't you dare threaten the lives of my family, or you'll join your brothers on that pyre … Or worse."

Marcus wisely shut his mouth.

I turned to my mate and took her shoulders, forcing her to look at me, pumping the calm straight into her person. "I'll knock them out. We'll deal with them shortly, but they can't be left out in the desert like this. They'll need to be taken somewhere. Cared for."

She bit her lip, one of her few remaining human quirks, and turned to scan over the group below us. "The kids can take them... Send Nahuel and the Girls as well. I would prefer if they weren't here if something goes wrong..."

"Then we'll send them." I told her. "Ness can keep Charlie calm, and he can deal with Renee and Phil."

She nodded to me and glared at Marcus one last time before she turned to go round up the kids. I turned to Marcus myself. "You do realize that you're dealing with a vampire barely past her newborn year who has seen nothing but grief and strife since awakening to this life, correct?"

"I am."

"Then you would do well not to provoke her further." I responded. I turned to Alec. "Let the vampires go, boy."

He growled at me from his spot in front of Alice. "I don't think you're in a position to be giving me orders."

I cocked an eyebrow. "You think so? Well, let me clue you in. Your masters are dead. Burnt to a cinder on a pyre. You're trapped in one of my mate's barriers, something she has full control over. Size, shape, and access. You might want to cooperate, because lets face it, you're all out of options. I still haven't decided what I'm going to do with you yet, and I can get rather creative when I want to."

Alice's eyes glazed over and she gasped in fear. "You wouldn't dare."

"Trust me, I would." I snarled at her. "It wasn't just Bella you destroyed when you and your precious pretty boy took off to be with your Witch Twins, Mary Alice, so believe me when I say you'll get everything that's coming to you and then some."

Carlisle and Esme suddenly gasped and I turned to find them staring at me.

"Jasper?" Carlisle asked, helping Esme to her feet. "What's going on?"

"You missed the fun part, Carlisle." I told him, turning my back on my former wife and companion. "Just over the ridge there you're going to find a lot of vampires in need of some serious help. We're going to need blood, and a lot of it. Think you can manage it?"

Carlisle flashed to the top of the ridge to survey the damage. I watched him visibly cringe. "Jasper, you can't ask me to do this."

"I can, and I am. It was your complacency that set all of this in motion, Carlisle." I told him. "Your steadfast belief that Aro wouldn't ever harm any of us. Among other things. Trust me, Isabella isn't too happy with you right now, either, so unless you want her to start peeling your dick like a banana, you might want to get started helping out."

Carlisle visibly gulped and nodded. "We'll be back in four hours."

"Good, not a minute later." I said. I turned and headed down into the gorge. I needed to take stock of losses and who was piecing themselves back together from the battle.

Kate and Garret sat with Tanya and Blake while Kate's arm fused back into place. That would certainly be an interesting story. Other covens sat in groups, piecing each other back together. The ones that had been with the Volturi were off to their own side, helping to put each other back together as well. It appeared that more than a few of them had been under Chelsea's influence. Others still were piecing themselves back from having discovered that all of their convictions and belief in the corrupt system were nothing in the face of a newborns rage.

I found Isabella standing with Jacob and Renesmee, both of whom looked distinctly worried.

"Is grandpa and grandma going to be alright?" Nessie asked.

"They'll be fine, baby, don't you worry." Bella assured her. "But I need you to take them to the nearest town and get them settled into a hotel room until we can get there and take care of this situation ourselves. I want you to take the rest of the pack, and the Damphir with you. We need to be able to deal with the vampire problems without something else being called into question."

I grabbed her shoulder firmly and stepped up behind her. "This will go a lot smoother if we're not thinking like parents." I explained.

Nessie nodded. "Of course. We'll go right away."

I nodded. "As soon as you're out of Alec's range, they'll regain their sight and hearing. It's going to get difficult, so try to be in a secluded place when that happens, and whatever you do, don't use the word vampire. We'll come up with something, just keep them there. Charlie should be able to handle Renee and Phil, and you two can handle Charlie."

Nessie and Jake nodded and with a yelp, the pack and damphir fell in behind them, leaving the gorge.

Bella and I stood still as several coven leaders came towards us then. One from every coven, I noticed, as well as many of the nomads.

"So how do you intend to do this, Whitlock?" a man asked me, crossing his arms over his chest. He had a golden-olive complexion and by his accent, he sounded almost Middle Eastern in descent.

"Quite simply." I said. "Volterra is still the most central point to all vampires. It would make sense that Castle Volturi remain headquarters."

There was a murmur of assent.

"So what I propose is that we select a group of nine, one representative from each region, to meet several times a year and make decisions, and leave the main enforcement to trusted members of the Volturi, and whomever decides to remain in Volterra." I continued.

"And who do you propose stay in Volterra?" Eleazar asked.

"Marcus." Bella said. "He knows more intimately than any one of us the inner workings of the Guard, and the Palace. It would make sense that he remain with the ruling body for a time. Even if it is only in an advisory and tie-breaking capacity."

"But he would still be doling out day to day judgments." protested a female that had come in with the South American group. "What's to say that he wouldn't follow in his brother's footsteps."

Bella gave her a blank look. "Have you met Marcus?"

I squeezed her shoulder in reprimand. "There would, of course, be other members called in for a full trial, but Marcus would act as primary monitor and dispatch. Much like the human police departments."

Another murmur rose, some agreeing, some disagreeing.

"So who do you think should stand as the other eight people?" A female asked. I recognized her as the woman that had stood with Bella during her victory.

"That's not for me to decide." I replied. "That's for everyone to decide. That's the point of the democratic government that the Americans have in place. What I propose is that we choose a representative from North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. Someone central, or mobile, that would be in contact with all of the vampires in the area and be able to hear from them, whatever their problems may be."

"Alright, Major," Eleazar said. "This is a good plan. A very good plan. Now, how do you plan to implement it?"

"Almost every vampire the world over is in this valley right now." Bella said. "Barring those that didn't want to get involved. The Damphir will follow the example set by us because their guardians and parents are here, helping to make these decisions. Nahuel and his sisters have already agreed, as has Renesmee. All that's left is to tell your covens, and decide on who's going to be the first members of the committee."

"Besides," Maria said. "With technology being what it is today, it wouldn't be necessary for this committee to meet in person every time, or to have everyone in Volterra at once."

More and more people were suddenly on board with the idea. They dispersed to their covens to inform them of what was going on. Bella and I stood stock still in the middle, waiting.

"We of the Chilean Coven nominate Kichiri of the Amazon Coven for the South American Representative." A woman called.

Kichiri blinked at her, stunned. No words came from her lips as her eyes drifted towards Zafrina, who beamed proudly.

"All opposed?" came Marcus' voice from behind me. We turned to face him as no one objected. "All in favor?"

There was a raucous chorus of voices to agree to her nomination.

"Then it appears that Miss Kichiri is the first to join my cohort." Marcus said, looking down at me. "And we, Major Whitlock, will be having a discussion before you and your mate leave this place."

"Of course." I replied.

Bella looked over at me and frowned, but didn't say anything.

We watched as Eleazar rose from his spot with his mate and faced us. "We of the Denali Coven, would like to nominate Isabella of the Whitlock Coven as the North American contingent."

"I decline." Bella said. "With all due respect, Eleazar, I only want to live quietly. This was more than enough for me."

He frowned. "But Isabella ..."

"I said no." She responded firmly.

He sighed and looked down helplessly at his mate. She shook her head softly and smiled. Kate rose as well.

"Then Jasper ..."

"No." I said.

"What about Edward?" came a female from a coven I vaguely recognized from near Toronto.

"Edward joined the guard several months ago and is no longer part of the Cullen Coven." Marcus told her. "Is there anyone else ..."

"Peter." Bella said. "We could nominate Peter."

I blinked at her as the field fell silent. I quick glance told me that even my brother was staring at her incredulously.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" Bella murmured to me.

"That's actually kind of a perfect idea." Garret said. "Peter has his fingers in every pie. It would make sense to have him on a ruling committee. He would certainly be an asset."

"A formal statement, then?" Marucs asked.

"We of the Denali Coven would like to nominate Peter Whitlock, of the Whitlock Coven, to the North American Contingent." Garrett said, looking at Kate with a smile.

More delclarations rose. It surprised no one that the War Lords received nothing, not even the War Lords themselves, who had decided to form a coven of their own and stand together in Monterry. Apparently, this had been their greatest battle, and returning to their petty squabbling, having to share blood rights with a hoard of newborns, was unappealing to them. With Maria at their helm, oddly enough, they would take Mexico for themselves.

Liam, of the Irish Coven, found himself slotted for the European contingent, and Ben for the African. This didn't surprise me as much as the Middle Eastern Representative, Vikrant Singh of the Indian Coven. I recognized him as a Volturi supporter, but none of his cohort seemed to mind his place, and it showed a solidarity that none of the others objected either. This was a chance for a fresh start. Like the War Lords, it was time to let the bad blood between the covens go, and start new.

The Asian representative was a Chinese vampire named Sho, the Representative from the South Pacific was a Filipino woman named Rosetta, and the Caribbean Representative was a woman named Lucille, all three of whom were nomads who acted in much the same capacity as Peter, being friendly or acquainted with everyone.

With that finished, those named and approved met with Marcus to start hashing out details. With them now at the helm of everything, Isabella and I were free to do as we wished. As a sign of good faith, however, to the new governing body, we approached them with respectful bows.

"Major Whitlock," Marucs greeted.

"Marcus." I responded. "We would like to formally hand you and your contingent control of this situation. Carlisle Cullen and his mate, Esme, should be arriving in about three hours with bagged blood to start the healing process of those who were … dismembered."

Marcus nodded. "Is that all?"

"We would also like permission to deal with those who betrayed us." Isabella said. "Alec and Jane will, of course, remain unharmed, but Alice and Edward, we feel, deserve some form of punishment for what they've done to us."

Peter smirked. "I say we allow it. As long as they're not killed, I think it should be allowed."

"And just what is it that they've done to you?" Vikrant Singh asked, clearly not impressed.

"Aside from the mental anguish they put my mate through," I said, fighting not to snarl. "They have made a game of the lives of those that considered them family, including Edward's creator, Carlisle Cullen. Not only do I want answers to the questions that I have for them, but I want them to pay for the games that they've played with my mate, myself, and my mate's child."

"Her child?" Lucille asked.

"The Damphir Renesmee is Edward and I's blood daughter." Bella told her, producing a piece of paper from her pocket. "And this letter was sent to her several weeks after our imprisonment by the former leaders of the vampire world."

The group read it, Peter standing off to the side as he already knew the story.

"Do what you will." Marcus said. "but do not kill them. It would not do anyone any good to remove the Twins from their mates."

We bowed again. "Thank you."

That taken care of, and a clear sign to the other covens that we were no longer in charge, we made our way to where Edward and Alice awaited us.

"So what do you think, my mate?" Isabella asked me.

"I would very much like to destroy them." I replied. "But as our new leaders have forbidden it ..."

She smirked devilishly and reached into the barrier, pulling Alice out by her throat, causing Alec to roar.

"What are you going to do to me?" Alice asked.

"I would think you already know the answer to that, Alice." Bella crooned. She forced Alice to meet her eye as the pixie started begging and pleading for Bella not to do whatever it was she was about to do. When she finished, she repeated the process with Edward, and left them both on the ground, visibly unharmed.

She dropped the barrier around the Twins, who rushed to their respective mate's sides immediately.

"What have you done to them?" Jane snarled, cradling Edward's head in her lap as he groaned and clutched his head.

"I've locked their powers away." Bella told her. "Much the same way I was able to lock Jasper's memories when your former masters tried to take him from us, I've just locked the section of their minds controlling their abilities from use with one of my shields. She can no longer see the future, and he can no longer read minds."

I stared at her in awe. This was my mate. My Beautiful, brilliant mate.

She continued. "As I said before, death would be too easy. Now they have to live with the consequences of everything they've done. With Emmett and Rose, with Carlisle and Esme, and with Renesmee, and the wolves, and the new government, and with us." She tucked her thumbs in the pockets of her torn up jeans and leaned over, smirking. "But let them know this. The only reason they get to continue to exist is at the express request of Lord Marcus, for the mental welfare of the two of you, whom I assume will be continuing with the Guard. If not for him, they'd find themselves dismembered and buried a couple thousand feet blow sea level for a couple decades. Just make sure they stay away from my daughter. After the bullshit that son of a bitch pulled with the letter he sent her, I don't want his poisonous influence anywhere near her."

With that she turned on her heel and went to find Charlotte, I'm sure intent on moving out to find her kids. I wouldn't be far behind her. I just had one more thing to deal with.

"When they come to, let them know that I want them to get in contact with me, through Peter." I told the Witch Twins. "I don't know what it is they were hiding, but I intend to get it out of them."

That said, I turned to follow my mate. We had more important things to worry about now.

* * *

A/n: And there you have it. We're almost to the end. One, maybe two chapters to go. Lose ends to tie up and all that. Thanks for being with me through this long ass journey. I love all of you and I'll see you in the next chapter.

leggy freak003


	25. Chapter 23

A/n: What sorcery is this? Two Updates? In the same month? Within a week of each other? Surely the world must be ending? Yeah, i know, get your expediency jokes out now, har har. I know. We Good? Excellent. Now, for a few notes on this chapter before you start reading:

First, some of the reactions in this chapter are going to seem a little weird. It's because of my personal head canons regarding Bella and her life before Forks. In my head, Bella wasn't always the ... uh ... _girl_ we all know from the books. In my head, it's all lie for the sake of her father. Sorry. I made allusions to this earlier, when Bella finally came back to her senses waaaaaay back in the first several chapters. Maybe i'll do some oneshots from her teen years. who knows.

Second, this is the penultimate chapter. Next chapter will be the epilogue, and then this'll all be done. I know, shock and awe. I'm actually proud of myself, because I finished another one. It's been three years, but hey, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Lastly, Before you start asking questions, I haven't made any decisions on a sequel yet. I honestly don't know if I will or won't. I plan to leave myself room for one if I decide to come back to this later, but it depends on what the characters decide to do.

It's been a treat writing for you folks.

D/c: I don't own Twilight. I just warp it.

* * *

BPOV

As I left my ex-husband and former best friend lying in the dirt with their mates, I felt no remorse for what I had done. I knew that I would one day have to deal with the consequences of my actions, but I couldn't bring myself to care. They relied wholly on their gifts to function in the world, to deal with their actions, and now they would be forced to deal with it all as normal vampires, and _that_ was the point. Actions had consequences. They would learn, especially when they attempted to contact Renesmee.

Jasper approached me from behind. I hadn't exactly been moving very fast. Part of my mind was still trying to figure out what I would tell my parents. Charlie would be fairly easy to deal with. Renee, however … I almost didn't want to deal with it.

He took my hand and smiled down at me. "Are you alright?"

I leaned into him and sighed. "Part yes, Part no." I replied. "I don't want to deal with this. Renee is going to freak. But I'm fine as far as everything else."

"We need to decide what we're going to tell them."

I sighed. "I know." We were approaching the edge of the field that we were using. I didn't want to deal with any more of the drama, but I knew that we would have to be back at some point. Peter had our numbers.

We came to the edge of the nearest town and I called Jake.

"Yeah?" He asked, sounding tired.

"Where are you guys?" I asked them.

"Ness used her card to check into a Motel 6 in Pahrump." Jake told me.

"We'll be there in five minutes." I replied. "Jake ..."

"Charlie is doing alright. He was fairly prepared for this bombshell. Phil is calm, probably a little in shock. Renee isn't doing the best, though, Bell. She's freaking out. Charlie and Phil are keeping her calm-ish."

"We'll be there in 5." I said. I hung up and turned to Jasper, who was waiting patiently for me.

"Are you ready for this?" He asked me.

"No." I told him. "I didn't want her to know anything. I wanted to keep her in the dark until I had to fake my death." I leaned into his strength and breathed in his scent, calming myself. "But I have to tell her now, don't I? How can we hide what happened to them?"

He pulled me close. "You know what telling them means, Bella."

"What else can I do?"

He pushed me out at arms length and his golden eyes bore into mine. "You're going to do what vampires have been doing for centuries. What you'll have to do for centuries. Lie through your fucking teeth."

I smiled at him. "You know, six years ago, this would have all seemed very surreal."

He shook his head with a chuckle. "Six years ago I wanted to eat you." he pulled me close and nipped at my shoulder. "In a couple different ways."

I pulled away and took his hand. "Lets go deal with my parents."

"It's about time I got to meet your mother." He told me. "And Charlie still doesn't know about us."

"Can we keep that quiet for a minute." I asked. "He's going to be having palpitations as it is because of the situation we were in."

He laughed as we headed for the motel. It was going to be an extremely long afternoon.

Finding them wasn't difficult. The kids had a rather strong scent, and it didn't hurt that Nahuel's sister Serena was waiting outside.

She looked up as we arrived and knocked three times on the door. "You're cutting it pretty close to sunrise." she commented.

"We just finished handing over power." Jasper replied. "We'll explain everything inside, once we've dealt with the humans."

Serena scowled. "Are you going to kill them? If so, this whole thing was pointless."

I snarled at her causing her to step back. "No, we're not going to kill them. Those humans are my parents, you insipid brat."

She pulled herself up to her own considerable height in an attempt to be intimidating, but Ness was suddenly in my arms and she deflated. Like everyone else, she had a soft spot for my daughter. Looking down at the mass of red curls in my arms, I softened as well. My girl …

"Mama, I'm so glad you're here." She wailed. "Grandma is..."

"I told you not to call me that!" I heard another female voice from inside. I looked up, suddenly remembering why I had all but cut ties with my mother in the first place.

"Mom." I snapped. I looked down at Ness. "Lets get inside before Jasper and I alert the whole world to what we are, shall we?"

Ness nodded and led me inside. Jasper stopped at the door and had a brief word with Serena before following. Serena stood at the door. Jasper nodded to the door as we stepped inside and Nahuel, Jennifer, and Maysun joined her. I was thankful that this would appear a family affair, even if it was only to my parents.

"Bells!" Charlie said, coming towards me. "I'm glad you're alright." he said, hugging me.

I smiled, taking in his familiar scent. "I'll tell you everything I can, when I can." I whispered to him. "But I can't tell Renee and Phil."

"I understand, Bells." Charlie whispered back.

"Isabella Marie Swan, you have a _lot_ of explaining to do." Renee yelled, moving towards me. I really hope she didn't over-react and try to hit me. I would hate for her to break bones.

"If you'll sit down, calm down, I will." I told her, glancing at Jasper. He nodded almost imperceptibly and I felt his special brand of magic flood the room with calming waves. Hopefully this would help my mother settled down.

I couldn't be so fortunate. Renee, instead of calming down, went into a full blown rant. Jasper looked at me as if he'd never seen me before, probably wondering how I had been such a level headed teenager with this insane woman as my mother.

I let her burn herself out before I even tried to speak. Charlie and Phil shared a look and didn't say anything either. Nessie and the wolves just watched. Every so often Ness would glance between me and Jake.

One Renee had wound down, I cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Are you finished?" I asked.

Renee gaped at me looking like a fish in a bowl.

"Good." I said. "I honestly don't know what I'm supposed to tell you." I told her. "The people that kidnapped you were after Jasper and I because we refused to join them when Edward and Alice did. I'm not sure about the history, but it apparently has something to do with Carlisle's youth."

"Then how did you get us free?" Renee asked. "You called the Police, didn't you?"

"It wasn't necessary." Jasper said. "Nor feesable. Charlie, you know how this goes. They're simply too big for the police to touch."

"Then what did you have to do to get us back?" Charlie asked.

"That, I'm afraid, is information that I can't give you, Officer." Jasper told him pointedly.

Charlie nodded.

Renee looked between the two of us, her face pure panic. "Just what have you gotten into, Bella? You went to fucking Forks. What could you have possibly gotten into in mother fucking _Forks?"_

"I just told you that this is because of Carlisle and his past." I muttered to myself. "I don't know what the fuck he did before his family moved to fucking Forks."

Renee rose from her seat. "And are you going to explain to me why this Seventeen year old girl is calling me Grandma? You're not old enough to have a seventeen year old, Isabella Marie."

I winced, and glanced over at Ness. "Edward and I took her in several years ago. She looked up to us as parents instead of siblings. When I told her about you, she asked me if you were her grandmother, just like Charlie was her grandfather. I told her yes. Sue me."

"No." Renee said. "No, I'm not dealing with any of this. I can't deal with this. I'm done, Bella. I have to be done. I thought you moving to Forks would get you away from this bullshit that you always seem to get yourself into. I thought that maybe when you married Edward that things were finally changing and that you would finally settle down. Obviously I was wrong. I'm washing my hands of you." She got to her feet and, turned to Phil. "Lets go. I want to go home and put this behind us."

"So you're just going to abandon our daughter?" Charlie snarled, getting to his feet as well. "All because she's gotten into something that inconveniences you, you're just going to throw her out of your life."

Renee rounded on him. "You have no idea what you're talking about, Charlie, so don't tell me what to do here. You didn't deal with the first ten years of this bullshit. You think Bella getting into danger or getting into some kind of conflict is new? You're sorely mistaken. Maybe some day you should ask her about the real reason why we decided that Forks would be a better place for her." She looked at me. "Don't' contact me again, Bella. I'm through with all of this."

I didn't even respond to her as she turned and walked out the door. Phil stopped just before leaving and turned to me. "Don't worry, Bella. She'll come around." He followed her out, happy in his own delusions. I knew that this was the final straw for Renee.

I turned to Charlie, who was staring at the door, shocked. I sighed and took in the other faces around the room. Jasper's was contorted in a mask of rage that I couldn't even begin to describe. Ness looked like she was about to cry. My sympathy, I found, came from the wolves. They understood exactly what had just happened, having dealt with it themselves.

Oddly enough, I wasn't mad, upset, or even disappointed. This meeting with my mother had gone exactly how I'd expected it to go. It wasn't Renee's fault that she couldn't handle me, no more than it was my fault that I was a damn danger magnet.

Sighed and sat down on the bed that my mother and her husband had vacated. "Guys, relax." I told them, looking up at Jasper with pleading eyes. He flooded the room with another wave of calm before joining me on the bed. Charlie resumed his seat on the other one and looked at me.

"I'm sorry about her, Bells." he said.

"Don't be." I told him. "Maybe one day I'll tell you the full story. This wasn't unexpected. I'm just sorry that you guys got drug into our war."

"When Edward showed up on my doorstep, I knew something was wrong." Charlie sighed. "I didn't even have time to call for one of the boys that had been guarding my house since you came through before I couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't feel..."

"I'm sorry." I whimpered, sliding to the floor and laying my head in his lap. "So sorry, Dad. I didn't want you to be a part of this. I wanted to keep you safe, and as far from the fighting as possible, so I didn't tell you anything. I tried so hard to stay out of trouble, but I just couldn't do it. Then they came and everything that I'd tried to suppress so that I could be the good girl came flooding back into me and I just had to protect everything. You, Ness, the wolves, you were all in danger because of me and ..."

I lost it. The next several minutes were completely incoherent for me. Jasper told me that my mind just shut down and I folded. When everything came rushing back, Charlie was rocking me in his lap, comforting me like I were a small child again.

I realized that I was clinging to him a mite too tightly, but he didn't complain. When I loosened my grip on him, he kissed my forehead and let me slid out of his lap, and onto the bed beside him, but he didn't let me go completely.

"You don't have to protect me, Bells." Charlie told me. "I know that there are certain things that you're not going to be able to tell me, but you have to understand that I'm as well protected as everyone else in Forks and La Push. Sam's boys come by my place regularly to check up on me, More so now that Sue and I are talking about moving in together."

I looked up at him and smiled. "Move to La Push."

"Bells ..."

"It would make us all feel better, Charlie." Jake threw in. "We worry about our parents, and knowing that you were on the Rez, keeping an eye on them … It'd let us all sleep a little better."

Charlie cocked an eyebrow at Jake, and we knew he wasn't buying it, but he nodded. "Alright, alright. I suppose you're going to put me on a plane now, send me home."

"That's exactly what we're going to do." Jasper replied. "Because quite frankly, Charlie, you're a liability here. We need to know that everyone involved's head is in the game, and with you here, Bella will be worried."

"You mean this whole thing isn't over?" Charlie asked.

"Not even close." Jasper replied. "The worst of it is, but we've got several days before we'll be able to leave here. Forks will be our first stop. I'm going to purchase some property and set the pack up on, and then Bella and I are taking a long vacation."

Charlie nodded. "Alright."

I tuned out while Jasper, Charlie, and Jake started discussing the finer points. It was times like this that I really wished that I could sleep still. There was never anything in the manual about emotional and mental exhaustion. I closed my eyes and I felt Jasper's hand run over my knee, and my mind blanked again.

The next thing I knew, Charlie was gone and night had fallen. I found Jasper sitting at the table with Peter, and Jake and Ness were curled up on the other bed, and the other wolves and damphir were nowhere to be found.

Had I actually slept?

"Nice of you to rejoin us." Peter said with a smirk. "Jasper thought you needed the break, so he knocked you out."

I blinked and looked at Jasper. "You can do that?"

"Works just fine on humans, why wouldn't it on vampires?" Jasper asked, not looking up from his paperwork. "Did you know that you still talk in your sleep?"

"But I didn't..." He looked up at me with a grin and slid the paperwork towards Peter. I sighed and shook my head. "Nevermind. What did I miss?" He didn't respond for a second, in which time I could hear the distinctive breathing of each of my kids, and the other four Damphir in the rooms around me, calming my nerves.

"Not much." Jasper replied. "I only had you out for a couple hours. Charlie understood. He'll be safely back in Forks by now. Char flew with him, and she'll fly back. Apparently, the newly formed Volterra Council, as they've decided to call themselves, is working out quite nicely. Everyone is already beginning to scatter. The only ones sticking around are the ones we're close too, and the WarLords. Apparently Maria wants to talk to me, and the lot of them have decided to use the new council to their advantage and have them mediate."

"Sounds like everything is going to plan, then." I replied, moving towards him. He pressed his face into my stomach as he wrapped his arms around me. I drug my nails over his scalp, causing him to purr. It was an oddly domestic gesture foreign to us. A

"Sounds like it." Peter said. "I still can't believed you volunteered me for this shit."

"You'll love it." I told him.

Peter nodded and signed the last of the paperwork. "So, apparently, you weren't the only ones pissed off at 8-Ball and Mind Fuck."

"Oh?" I asked as Jasper pulled away. I guess he hadn't been privy to this gossip either, yet.

"Yeah." Peter said. "From what I gather, they've made themselves a handful of enemies each over the decades, and of course Maria and Tanya wasted no time in spreading word of what they did to you two and Ness. You're not going to believe what happened."

"Then quit being a dick and tell us." Jasper said.

Peter was grinning like Cheshire Cat from the Alice in Wonderland movie. "You know that little 'pire that helped Bella out? Sky? She paralyzed them before anyone else could get to them. Took down the Witch Twins, too, so that the two had no defense."

"And?" I asked impatient.

"Katie got them first." Peter replied. "Loaded them both so full of electricity that they were still twitching when she let them go. I was with Marcus when it all went down, so I didn't actually see what happened, but apparently everyone with mental power bore down on them, giving them their own little brand of Hell. Neither one of them will have anything to do with that Zafrina from the Amazon. Kachiri said that we were better off not knowing what it was that she showed them."

I was speechless. Jasper wasn't doing much better. I thought I had given them the perfect punishment, for myself, for Ness, when I took their powers away. I had been satisfied with that. To hear that others had disagreed... it blew my mind.

And then I remembered that we hadn't told anyone what it was we were going to do to them. I frowned and looked down at Jasper, who seemed indifferent.

"We ended up stopping it all when Maria decided that she was going to put her two sense into it." Peter went on. "And you know how that song and dance goes." He looked up at me. "What is it, exactly, that you did to them, Bella?"

"I took their powers from them." I told him. He blinked and looked like he wanted to back away. "Not the way you think. Remember when we went to Volterra, how I managed to lock up yours and Jasper's memories about what we were doing? I'm able to do it with anything I want. So I locked their powers. Maybe when they realize what it was they did, I'll undo it. Until then, they can live with out that most precious thing."

Peter nodded. "Not bad. Underkill, I think, but not bad." He rose from his seat and took the paperwork with him. "I'll let you two be for now. I need to go meet up with the council and get a few more things taken care of. When the kids wake up, come back down to the gorge."

Jasper nodded and pulled me closer. Peter walked out and I looked down at my mate. "It's really over now." I said.

"Yes it is." Jasper agreed. "So, Miss Swan, where would you like to go for your vacation?" he asked leaning back in his chair.

I smiled. "The options are pretty endless, aren't they?"

"As long as it's on planet Earth." Jasper quipped.

"I don't suppose you have some private tropical Island somewhere." I murmured, sliding into his lap. "Only accessible by a boat, so we'll know the second anyone is coming and we can swim away. Explore the reefs as deep as we want. Not have to worry about looking like walking diamonds."

"Edward spoiled you Isle Esme, didn't he?" Jasper asked with a chuckle.

"I was human for that." I replied, threading my fingers into his hair. "Limited."

He smirked at me. "How about I go for the next best thing. I have a ranch just outside of Huston. Massive fenced in yard. Couple hundred acres. No one around for miles, and all of the comforts of home. We can spend a few months there, no kids, no Coven. Just you and me, getting to know all kinds of things about each other."

I smirked. "Sounds like heaven."

Jasper grinned bright enough to light the room. "Sounds like a plan to me, then."

He held me, the rest of the night, as I listened to the breathing of my kids on all sides of me.

This must be what peace feels like.

* * *

A/n: There you have it, the final blowout with the parents. See you all next chapter, ya'll. it's been real.

leggy freak003


	26. Epilogue

A/n: Well, this is it. The last chapter for Rise, Rebel, Resist. It's been a really long road, and honestly, I was going to wait until the 17th to make it a full 3 years, but I just can't bring myself to wait that long. It's time to post the last chapter and move on. Who knows, I may even come back to this some day and write a sequel, but for me, right now, this is a good stopping place.

I want to thank all of you for being with me through these long few years, through my weeks on end of no update. I know I get frustrating at times with the infrequency of which I post, but I think that we can all agree that the result is usually more satisfying than me cranking out a chapter to meet a deadline. You guys have been my inspiration and my muses through all of this, and I want to give a special thank you to Lady Skylite for her encouragement and for letting me use her for my own purposes.

You've all been awesome, but here it is, the epilogue. Enjoy, and one last time, tell me what you think. Thanks everyone. Keep an eye out for more stories from me.

D/c:I don't own Twilight. Wish I did, but I don't. I just piss in the sandbox.

* * *

BPOV

Whitlock Manor, as our home had come to be called, was a lovely, picturesque village that Jasper had built on the some two-thousand acres of Washington wilderness that he had purchased from the state. Each couple had their own cottage that surrounded the main house, which belonged to Jasper and me. The main house housed all of the business functions, as well as the guest rooms as well, for when our Denali cousins or the Uley pack decided to visit us. Jasper and I had begun construction on it as soon as we had come out of our six month sojourn in Texas, which he affectionately called our honeymoon, as neither of us had any inclination to actually get married again.

It was here that we had decided to spend our eternity. We were both done with the fighting. We had found our peace. Not even Maria loomed over our heads, as it was her favor that had brought us out of our seclusion. She had called the Major down to her former encampment in Laredo to help her put an end to her old life. Peter and Char had gone as well, and the four of them had put an end to the wars for good. From what I hear, all of the Warlords had done the same.

The aftermath of the Volturi's demise had been surprisingly smooth, given the upheaval it had caused within the vampire world. It seemed that we were all ready for a change. Old Covens disbanded and new ones formed, bonds of friendship and loyalty barely tested as everyone prepared to get on with their eternity as well. As each new law was announced by the Council of Voterra, things began to even out for everyone. Instead of the Guard being localized, they were allowed to spread out, start lives, live for themselves, and if ever there were a problem in their particular area, then they would be dispatched to deal with it. The only ones who remained in Voterra were Marcus, The Witch Twins, Edward, Alice, and less than a dozen others who had joined of their own free will. Those who were forced into service were set free, able to live their lives for themselves, and well compensated for their time with the Guard. I had heard rumor that some had even elected to stay on.

We were happy here, surrounded by our family. Peter and Jasper conducted business with the Council, and with the other covens across North America, as Peter had all but begged Jasper to be his right hand man. Jasper had been more than happy to let Peter take point in all of this. He had been more than ready to put The Major away for good.

I was in seventh heaven. I hadn't really pictured my self as the maternal sort, but here, in this little paradise, surrounded by my daughter, her mate, her pack, and all of the kids that came with, I was happy. Truly happy. At the ripe old age of 48, I now had three beautiful blood grandchildren, and seven that were mine because I said so.

As I watched them run around the sprawling front yard, I sighed in contentment, Nahuel's oldest sister, Maysun knitting sweaters at my side. Oddly enough, she had been the one, after Nahuel and Leah had announced their imprinting, that had attached herself to my hip. Each of the Damphir, I discovered, harbored a secret self hatred because they had killed their mothers. Maysun had taken it the hardest, being the first one ever, and thinking herself an utter monster. I wished Joham a thousand deaths for what he'd done to those women, and these children. Maysun had stuck to my side like glue ever since, partially, I thought, in a desire to have a mother, and partially to learn to be a mother. While she and her sisters had yet to find their mates, they held out hope, with the revelations of Ness and Nahuel, that they might find them in the future generations of the Quileute tribe. She had confided that the only reason that she and her sisters had ever followed their father is because they'd had no idea what they were nor how to survive.

I looked up from the kids as Jasper jogged out onto the porch, a scowl on his features. "What is it, Jas?" I asked, frowning.

"That fucking ..." He bit off his words. "It's nothing we can't handle, I guess. Potential problems within the council. Peter and I are both getting ready to head to Italy to discuss it with Marcus."

"You can't do it over the phone?" I asked, getting up.

"Afraid not, Little Sister." Peter said, coming out of the house as well. "And yes, you have to stay here with Char and keep an eye on our little village. There's no reason for both you and the Major to go raising Hell."

I glared at him. "Peter ..."

"There is one thing, though." Peter said. "I'm gonna need you to unblock your ex husband and ex sister-in-law's powers."

I growled. "Care to explain what's going on?"

"Not right at the moment." Peter said. "Look, I know this is a crap shoot, but is what it is. We could be dealing with nothing, here, and I'm not going to let you get everyone here worked up over nothing, Bella."

I glared at him but Jasper took my arm, snarled at Peter, and drug me into the house. Before I could even register what was going on, we were in his office, and well away from the current subject of my ire.

"Bella, calm down." he told me, cupping the side of my face and feeding me small tendrils of calm. "I need you to trust me, and listen to me. This isn't going to be something that is going to be a physical fight. We have to go play some mind games because one of the council covens is being a pain in the ass. This would work a lot better if I had a mind reader and a seer at my side. Peter and Marcus agree. They've apologized, Bella. They've made their amends. Look at what everyone did to them. They've suffered enough."

I looked up at him. "I don't like this."

"I know you don't," Jasper replied, "but it's been 25 years since then, and Edward wants to be part of the grandkids' lives. He has that right, Mi Dulce."

"He gave up that right when he cut ties with her." I snarled.

"Bella," Jasper implored.

I growled low in my throat. I didn't want to do this. I looked up as Renesmee and Jacob walked into the office. The looks on their faces told me that they already knew this part. Jake stood back, arms folded, his massive frame imposing. I swear he'd gotten bigger over the years. He hadn't aged a day, but he sure filled out. My Ness had as well, with every baby, her body got a little more mature. The silence that followed their entrance would have caused my heart to stop, had it beat. Ness was pregnant again, and this time she was having twins. I could hear the fluttering of their hearts clear as day. We would have to expand their house again.

"Mama, it's time to let it go." Ness told me, walking up to me and resting her hand on my arm. "I want to be able to let him back, Mama. He'll never be my Dad again, but he'll aways be my father, and the kids have a right to know their grandfather."

I sniffed, almost as if I could cry. "When did you get so sensible?" I asked her.

"About the time my Mama told me to grow up cause I was gonna have a baby." She told me, smiling. "You and Papi have been wonderful, Mama, but it's time to let go of the past."

I sighed and smiled. "Only for you, baby girl." I told her. I looked up at Jasper. "You're going to have to either take me with you, or send them here, because I can't do it from a distance."

Jasper groaned. "Why did I have a feeling you were going to say that."

"As you well remember, it requires physical contact for me to pull the shield." I told him. "So pick one."

"I'll call Marcus and have him send them to us." Jasper sighed. "Peter and I will head back with them."

"Fine." I said. "And as long as that 8-ball stays out of my future, we'll get along great."

"Of course, Querida." Jasper replied, sitting down behind his desk and dialing Italy. I stepped out of the room and Jake followed.

"Are you happy, Bella?" He asked me once we were in the living room.

I turned to him and smiled. "Now why would you ask me something like that, Jake?"

"Because I haven't seen a glimpse of the old Bella since the day you left for Texas 25 years ago." Jake told me. He sat down on the coffee table across from where I sat down on the couch. "And I don't mean the one your mother hated. I mean the one I fell in love with."

I laughed. "Jake, she was an act. I'm happy. I promise you. I have everything I could ever want, and so much that I could have never thought to ask for. I got to keep you in my life, I have Ness, I have the pack and the kids, and I have the coven, and Jasper. I couldn't ask for anything more."

"Except for Assward to stay out of our lives?" Jake asked, smirking at me.

"Well, life isn't perfect, and if we're going to live forever, we might as well get used to it." I replied.

"I'm glad." He said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "We've had a helluva journey getting here, haven't we?"

I laughed. "If you could change one thing about it, what would it be? Personally. I know what aspects of my life you would change."

He gave me that grin that I was so used to seeing. The one that My Jake had given me back when I was so confused, and didn't understand.

"If I could go back and change one thing?" he repeated. "I think it would have to be my behavior. I was an ass back then, especially to you, especially after he came back."

I laughed with him. "You were, but you know, I think I understand now why you were, not just because of the mystical bonding and shit, but because of us. You were, and are, my best friend, Jake."

"You're starting to sound your age, Bella." he teased. "You're what, 123 now?"

I scoffed and reached out to punch him in the shoulder. "Fuck off, Dickhead. I'm barely bridging fifty; and I'm _still_ older than you."

He laughed with me. "What would you change, if you could?"

I sat back and sighed, thinking about it. Of all the decisions I made, of all the idiot things I'd done since that fateful day walked into Mr. Banners Science class, there was only one thing I would change. "I would have never changed my personality." I told him.

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I would have never turned into the demure girl I was in Forks." I told him. "If I hadn't done that, I don't think I would have fall for Edward quite as hard as I did."

Jake smiled. "Bells, you're one odd girl."

I shrugged. "Jake, you're one asshole."

We laughed and he rose from his seat as Ness and Jasper came downstairs. Ness went straight to Jake's arms as Jasper came and sat down next to me on the couch.

"They'll be here in two days." Jasper told me. "And they plan to bring their mates with them."

I bit back a growl and nodded, not making eye contact with him.

He sighed and shook his head, getting up to go do something else. Ness and Jake said their goodbyes and rounded up their kids before heading home. I watched as slowly, pups trickled out of my yard, and houses settled down for the night.

I made my way into the kitchen and began cooking dinner for the three girls that still lived in the main house. Serena and Jennifer didn't stray far from Maysun if they could help it because they were used to her. They loved their brother dearly, but the girls had a special bond. They had found, after some time with us, that they preferred human food, to blood, though they still had a balanced diet of both. As I made preparations for a rather elaborate Italian dish, Jasper came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry." he murmured.

"Its not your fault." I replied as I went through the motions with him wrapped around me, perfectly capable of doing it despite the would-be hindrance. "The fact of the matter is, you're right. It's been 25 years. They've suffered enough. Hell, Kate still shocks them to hell when she sees them. It's time for them to have their abilities back." I turned in his arms and looked up at him. "I'm sorry for being such a baby about this."

He shrugged it off. "You have a right to be. This was their punishment for all the wrongs they did us and the kids."

I rested my head on his chest. "Just promise me that we'll be okay?"

"I swear to you, we'll be okay." He responded.

It was all I wanted to hear.

* * *

Two days later I was standing in my front yard watching as some flashy BMW wound its way up the road to the main house. Why was it that this asshole could never be subtle about anything?

The car parked behind Jasper's truck and I watched as Edward stepped out of the driver's seat in a pair of pressed Italian designer pants and a flashy designer shirt, with shined-to-sparkle Italian Loafers on his feet. Jane stepped out of the Passenger side in a designer label dress I'd swear was more appropriate for the Grammys than for visiting someone's house for the sole purpose of getting one's abilities back.

Yeah, I could honestly still say that I hated every one of them. What horrified me most was that I was starting to sound like my mother when she talked about Charlie when I was a kid.

Alice slipped out of the back seat in a similar dress to Janes, and Alec stepped out in the same clothes as Edward, only in different colors.

Clearly Alice hadn't changed at all.

"Edward." Jasper greeted, holding out his hand. "Alice. Nice to see you."

"Jasper." Edward greeted, shaking his hand. "Isabella."

I had to bite back the hiss that was building in my throat. "Edward. Alice."

"You remember Jane and Alec, I trust." Edward said, motioning to the brat on his arm.

I honestly wanted to rip all of their faces off.

"Can we dispense with the pleasantries?" Jacob asked from where he sat with Ness on the porch swing. Oh, my Sun, I knew there was a reason I loved you most of all. "We all know that there's only one reason for them to be here, otherwise Bella would be clawing their faces off already."

I had to smirk at that. He just knew me too damn well.

Jasper sighed and shot me full of calm as he turned to lead us all into the house. Jake plopped down in his favorite chair and pulled Ness into his lap, his hands resting on her not-yet-bulging stomach.

"Where are the children?" Edward asked Ness.

"They're playing at Leah and Nahuel's." Ness told him. "We didn't want them to come over just yet. You have to understand, Dad, that they don't know everything that's going on. They know that they have a Grandpa out there that they've never met, but they don't know how Mom would react to you, so we decided that they would stay away until we knew that the situation was under control."

"See, Bells never fully recovered from that time in a box your so-called father put her through." Jake said, hammering on tender nerves. Gods, I loved that boy.

"Alright." Jasper said, standing behind my chair with a hand on my shoulder, force-feeding me calming waves so that I didn't leap at him and do some serious damage. I hadn't felt this out of control since my newborn years.

"Can we just get this over with please?" Alice asked.

"Oh no, it's not that simple." I said, folding my fingers on my stomach and crossing my legs, trying my best to look positively diabolical. By the grin on Jake's face, it was working. "Have a seat, we've got some explaining to do before I even consider yanking those shields."

Jane snapped to her feet. "Whitlock, you said ..."

"You might want to sit down, Jane." I said, flashing a shield over Jasper and I, and Ness and Jake. "It doesn't take physical contact to put up one of those shields, only to take it down."

She lowered herself back onto the couch and glared at me, obviously trying to use her powers on me, though it didn't do anything.

"I want to know why." I told Edward and Alice, ignoring their mates completely. "I want to know why everything happened. I want to know what Alice showed you to make you leave me the second time, and I want to know what the flying mother fuck possessed you to think that you could treat your daughter the same way you treated me when you left me after my eighteenth birthday party. I want to know why Jasper and I got played the way we did, because it was complete bullshit, and you both know it."

Alice and Edward shared a look. Alice was reluctant, but Edward held firm. He was finally going to tell us.

"Not many people know this, but Alice and I were turned on the same day." Edward told us, looking between Jasper and I. "It makes us a type of twin, for lack of a better term. Ever since that day, Alice has been able to see visions of me, of Jasper, and of a brown haired woman with gold eyes."

"So she saw the four of us, big deal." I said.

"No, Bella." Alice told me. "I didn't just see the four of us. I saw all of the possibilities. If you and Jasper had gotten together when you first arrived in Forks, then the wolves would have declared war on us because you would have been turned within the first month. If it had happened right there around your 18th birthday? Then we would have lost Edward to the Volturi. Despite what you two think, we did love you. We did what we did for your own good, for our own good, and for the good of the vampire community."

"Bullshit." Jake snapped.

"Quiet, Dog." Alice hissed. "You don't know anything about what I've seen. The day we left with Aro, I didn't show Edward anything. I just told him that it was time to go, that it was time to let the two of you find each other. We should have let it happen sooner. Well before Nessie and the wedding, but Edward fell so damn in love with that facade you'd created that I couldn't get him to see reason until he was too scared of you to do anything."

"What we didn't know at the time, is that if we hadn't let things get as far as they did, thing's wouldn't have worked out." Edward said. "The ultimate goal was always getting rid of Aro and Caius, Bella, for all of your reasons and more. Do you honestly think that we're the first family to have been destroyed by them? Hardly. There have been Damphir before, there have been vegetarians before. Gifted shields and even seers."

"There's supposed to be a balance." Jane said. "Always a balance. Nothing is truly immortal. Vampires and Werewolves were created to counter-act each other. When Caius hunted down and destroyed all of the werewolves, that balance was destroyed, and so the shape-shifters were created. That Wolf didn't agree to share with your ancestor on coincidence, Dog. Nature compelled a balance."

"You talk like you know." Jake growled.

"Jane and I were burned at the stake for being witches," Alec said. "Do you honestly think there wasn't any truth to it? Salem was a hoax, but in Europe, they were actually right once in a while."

"So what you're telling me was that this was all some elaborate fated ruse to get Jasper and I together to get rid of Aro and Caius?" I asked, incredulous. It was ridiculous. It was too elaborate and out of this world to be truth. It was something you would only find in some cheesy teen fiction novel.

"It didn't have to be you." Jane said. "You could have failed. I've seen it happen before. There was a book written once, about a physical shield and a telepath that tried to stand against the brothers once."

Jasper's fingers tightened on my shoulder. The book Maria had given us...

"But because of what Edward and I did, what we knew we had to do, you had the drive to succeed." Alice said. "We needed you to hate us, hate them. Want them dead so badly that you would dance on their pyres. We knew the Major could do it, and we knew, after the first time they'd come, that with the right incentives, you could help him."

I snorted and got out of my chair, shaking off Jasper's hand. "You two are so full of it." I dropped my hands on either one of their heads and pulled hard on the shielding layers I had planted in their minds, ripping them out with no small amount of force. I heard both of them cry out and stepped away. "Whenever you want to give me the real story, let me know. Until then, stay the hell out of my house." I turned and started out of the room. I stopped at the door and turned to Jasper. "Come see me before you leave." and I left them all sitting there, staring after me.

* * *

JPOV

I folded my arms and shook my head. "Take note of the fact that she said house, not property. You're more than welcome to see Ness and the kids. Steer clear of Bella. I'm not even going to try to control her after this. You have your powers back because Ness and I asked for it, and no other reason. You stay out of our futures, you stay our of our heads, and you stay out of Bella's sight, and we'll all get along just fine. I'll see you in three hours. Our plane leaves at 7 from Sea Tac."

That said, I followed my mate to her day room, where I found her, Jennifer, and Maysun all sitting around, watching the sunlight play off Bella's skin. I still, after 25 years, had yet to fathom my mate's fascination with the way the sun played on our skin, but I had a feeling it had something to do with the ADD I was now fairly certain she'd developed while confined into that box. I wasn't complaining in the least, though.

She was largely at peace, and that was all that mattered to me.

Maysun looked over at me. "It's going to take forever to get his stench out of this house, you know."

"Jake's?" I asked. I barely even noticed it anymore.

"No, the red-head's." Jennifer said, looking at me as well.

Bella laughed and lay down on the floor. She looked over at me with a smile. "I love you, Jasper Whitlock."

I smiled and came to sit down with them, content to bask in my mate's happiness. "I love you, too, Isabella Whitlock."

This was peace.


End file.
